The differences were certainly not settled, for Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal will most likely remain nemeses for the rest of their lives. But the question of who is the superior fighter was answered emphatically - that title belongs to "Chaos" Covington who outwrestled, outworked and pushed the pace for five dominant rounds at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Barring a stupendous right hook from "Gamebred" that sent the American down to the canvas, the former interim 170-pound titlist was just a class above his rival to secure bragging rights for one of the most bitter rivalries in UFC history.
Nurmagomedov legacy continues in early prelims
Umar Nurmagomedov starred in the Fight Pass prelims of the card that featured three hotly-contested decisions and a spectacular first-round submission for Khabib's cousin.
Dustin Jacoby made the necessary adjustments to recover from being comprehensively outstruck by Michal oleksijczuk in the first round to winning a convincing decision in the first bout of the evening. The American kickboxer hurt his Polish counterpart in the second round before going on to control the final stanza.
Image: MMA Fighting |
Dustin Jacoby made the necessary adjustments to recover from being comprehensively outstruck by Michal oleksijczuk in the first round to winning a convincing decision in the first bout of the evening. The American kickboxer hurt his Polish counterpart in the second round before going on to control the final stanza.
Late replacement Ludovit Klein upset Devonte Smith splitting the judges over the course of a hard-fought 15 minutes. He hurt Smith twice in the first round before "King Kage" stole the successive frame, with two judges believing Klein's control in the third was enough to give him the victory.
One-time flyweight title challenger Tim Elliott stole the momentum of one of the rising stars in Makhachkala mixed martial arts, Tagir Ulanbekov. The awkward striking and movement of the Wichita-born fighter caused early problems for the Russian who found himself taken down several times in the first two rounds. Ulanbekov had a huge final round and came close to securing a choke but Elliott was able to see out the bout to get his hand raised.
There were far better fortunes for the other member of the Khabib/Javier Mendez camp starring on the night, as Umar Nurmagomedov - cousin of the former lightweight king - delivered another spectacular performance to improve his record to 14-0. He made Brian Kelleher uncomfortable with a steady diet of kicks, before controlling him and persisting with takedowns that lead the American to eventually give up his back and succumb to a rear-naked choke in the first round.
Nurmagomedov stays undefeated!
— UFC (@ufc) March 6, 2022
Where have we heard that before? 🤔 #UFC272 pic.twitter.com/ZLg4mEAGSh
Rodriguez jumps to top of strawweight contender pile before Turner lights up prelims
Maryna Moroz settled her grudge with former training partner Mariya Agapova in emphatic fashion, submitting the Kazakh in round two after tearing through her on the mat. Agapova saw off a significant threat from a rear-naked choke attempt in the first round but Moroz had her way thereafter and was able to secure a stern arm-triangle that eventually forced "Demonslayer" to tap.
Nicole Negumereanu got the nod over Kennedy Nzechukwu in an uninspiring three rounds at light heavyweight, marred by several eye pokes from the Nigerian. Negumereanu's pressure ultimately paid dividends down the line.
Marina Rodriguez all but secured her place as the next challenger to the women's strawweight throne as she rebounded from a slow start to pull ahead of China's Yan Xioanan. After a groin strike halted the action, Rodriguez began to find her range more with the pace of Xiaonan beginning to fade. It was close enough, however, for one judge to rule it in favour of Xioanan, as the Brazilian Rodriguez had her arm raised.
Jalen Turner rounded off the prelims with a performance that may have stole the show, as the 26-year-old outstruck and eventually broke down the tough Jamie Mullarkey in the second round. Turner got clipped a handful of times but it was clear that his dynamic striking was creating a world of trouble for the Aussie who was sporting a bloodied nose early in the contest. Mullarkey was able to stall Turner momentarily with a takedown at the end of the first round, but Turner poured on the pressure and crumbled Mullarkey with a right hook, raining down the ground-and-pound to force a stoppage. "The Tarantula" has made his name known.
Spivac puts Hardy's UFC career on life support
Serghei Spivac inflicted Greg Hardy's third successive stoppage defeat by rolling through the ex-NFL player in the first round of the main card opener.
After two low kicks found the mark for the American, Spivac took over in the grappling department, hip-tossing Hardy at ease and attempting to mount. The former Cowboys defensive end managed to work his way back to a standing position, but Spivac kept the body lock in and ragdolled the bigger man with a flurry of takedowns. In the blink of an eye, Spivac mounted his opponent and rained down the ground-and-pound with a vengeance, forcing the referee to stop the contest.
In what was the final bout of Hardy's UFC contract, speculation will indeed engulf the future of the controversial high-profile signee. He was shown to be hugely out of his depth right from the start and may need to go back to the drawing board.
Holland kicks down the door at 170
Things couldn't have gone much worse for Holland in the opening exchanges, where he found himself repeatedly out-of-range despite having the advantage in that department. Oliveira found success timing a right hand to counter the low kick of his counterpart, stunning Holland with several shots. When things went to the mat Oliveira's jiu-jitsu pedigree made for a worrying few moments before "Trailblazer" Holland popped up to his feet and landed flush with a huge right hand. Momentarily wobbled, Oliveira bounced back with a hard shot of his own. An attempted leg lock from Holland would go south surrendering back position to Oliveira who pursued a choke to the end of the round to no avail.
Urged to switch on by a frantic corner, Holland came out in the second with intent and it proved a world of difference. A short right hook dropped Oliveira and he turtled up for Holland to punch away for a referee stoppage.
"Thug Nasty" brutalises Barboza
Bryce Mitchell secured the biggest win of his UFC career when he ragdolled and beat down Edson Barboza over 15 minutes.
"Thug Nasty" applied pressure from the jump while Barboza shifted laterally pre-empting the shot. Barboza chipped away at the lead leg with some hard low kicks but would be felled by a massive left hand midway through the opening round. The hurt South American dug deep on the underhooks to prevent a takedown but would soon be sailing through the air as Mitchell took command of the contest. Mitchell landed a few shots in full guard before Barboza was able to get back up and finish the round with a right hand and spinning back kick to the body.
Mitchell was able to secure a takedown off a leg kick early in the second and sliced the Brazilian open with elbows in full guard applying immense pressure from top control. Edson tried to manoeuvre his way up to standing but was repeatedly thwarted. Mitchell took the back of the UFC veteran late in the round but was unable to pull off a choke.
There was much needed urgency in the corner of Barboza in the final round but Mitchell remained patient timing the takedown to perfection. The South American tried throwing up a triangle in desperation but his attempt was rebutted at ease. Mitchell postured up in the dying embers of the fight to rain down ground-and-pound however Barboza would see out the contest.
Moicano shows all the heart as dos Anjos dominates for five rounds
The moral victory in a brutal co-main event ultimately belonged to Renato Moicano, who survived five rounds of punishment in one of the most gutsy displays to ever be seen inside the Octagon. Former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos bloodied and battered his compatriot for 25 minutes, showing mercy down the stretch.
On the feet things were well matched before Moicano briefly took the back of RDA who was able to see off the attempt. Dos Anjos dipped under an overhand for a smooth double leg and spent most of the first stanza in half-guard, landing a variety of short elbows and punches.
The patented left body kicks from dos Anjos found their mark in the second frame while Moicano certainly gave his opponent every indication that striking with him for a sustained period of time may not end well, clipping dos Anjos with a solid right. Dos Anjos eventually got a takedown against the cage wall and once again rained down the ground-and-pound, with the face of Moicano beginning to swell further as the damage accumulated.
With the alarm bells already sounding off for the Moicano camp, he responded well with some clean jabs and a couple of nice combinations, although dos Anjos ate them without issue. Moicano was now egging the ex-champion to come forward and trade but would pay for that when he ate a head kick through the guard and was badly wobbled. The referee would not have been blamed for stopping the contest as dos Anjos smashed him on the ground, however Moicano was able to cling on and dig into his vast reservoir of toughness to see it into the championship rounds.
The doctor took a close look at Moicano going into the fourth as his eye was almost swollen shut. Declaring he was fit to continue, it was somewhat miraculous that Moicano was still in the contest. He landed a couple of shots that were brushed off before once again he was swept to the mat. The canvas became coated in crimson as the elbows sliced up the face of Moicano - yet still, he remained alive and well with just 5 minutes remaining.
It almost seemed a certainty that the doctor was going to wave things off going into the final round but he let Moicano go, and ultimately take even more punishment. Dos Anjos' approach was merciful as he slowed the pace down and took the sting off his shots. Moicano stuffed a couple of takedowns and then sprung to his feet to keep on fighting, and even tagged dos Anjos in a thrilling final minute. Dos Anjos backed him up with a hook in the final shot of the fight and that was all she wrote - the former lightweight king picked up a resounding, dominant, unaninimous decision win.
One-way chaos in main event grudge match
Colby Covington was simply a class above for Jorge Masvidal in a dominant main event.
"Gamebred" alluded to his famous record-breaking KO over Ben Askren as he launched himself into the air for a flying kick at the bell, missing on that attempt but going on to register several hard kicks that had his former training partner thinking early. The wrestling soon came into play as the former interim welterweight champion Covington took the back of his opponent and pursued a choke that was composedly defended. Masvidal was able to work his way back up to standing towards the end of the round, but it was clear for all to see who had the wrestling advantage 5 minutes in.
The BMF titleholder Masvidal was trying to ice out his nemesis with one punch, loading up and trying to catch him with switch-hitting strikes. Covington meanwhile came close with a few head kicks before finally getting the former title challenger up against the fence. That clinch was prematurely ended as a result of a Covington low blow leading to some fiery exchanges: Covington first landed a big right hand before Masvidal sliced him open with an elbow. In his first big win in the wrestling department of things, Jorge sprawled on a takedown but ultimately surrendered position by staying too long in that realm, giving up his back. Things did end on the feet where Colby let rip with a big combo to back Masvidal up, with the sense that things were heating up in the grudge match.
Midway through the fight it became clear that the former street fighter Masvidal was feeling the pace set by his counterpart. Colby did well at bunching up several strikes to occupy the hands of Masvidal before changing levels and attacking the hips. An early, easy takedown in the third for Covington allowed him to control and land some big shots in full guard, before once again attacking the neck. Masvidal had brief success at the end of the round but it was all Colby three rounds in.
Things took a dramatic twist in the fourth round when Masvidal put everything into a left hook that dropped Colby momentarily. That was in the midst of a firefight that saw Colby press forward and unleash a few flurries on his former training partner. Masvidal was unable to capitalise on the takedown and the ridiculous chin of Covington meant he had recovered within half-a-minute, going onto clinch. Jorge had scuffed the opportunity.
The fifth round was something of a formality. Covington secured a takedown and applied more pressure. Masvidal was defiant as ever, fending off the submissions and absorbing punishment but was unable to offer little else. He went five rounds but was outclassed for pretty much all of it.
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