UFC 268

Last updated
UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2
UFC 268 poster.jpg
The poster for UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2
Information
Promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship
DateNovember 6, 2021 (2021-11-06)
Venue Madison Square Garden
City New York City, New York, United States
Attendance20,715 [1]
Total gate$9,800,000 [1]
Buyrate700,000(US) [2]
Event chronology
UFC 267: Błachowicz vs. Teixeira UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodríguez

UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on November 6, 2021, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, United States. [3]

Contents

Background

A UFC Welterweight Championship rematch between the current champion Kamaru Usman (also The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians welterweight winner) and former interim champion Colby Covington headlined the event. [4] Serving as the event headliner, they previously met at UFC 245 in December 2019, where Usman defended his title via fifth-round technical knockout. [5] Vicente Luque served as backup and potential replacement for this fight. [6] At the weigh-ins, Luque weighed in at 172.2 pounds, 2.2 pounds over the welterweight title fight limit making him ineligible to compete for the title. [7]

A UFC Women's Strawweight Championship rematch between current two-time champion Rose Namajunas and former champion Zhang Weili took place as the co-main event. [8] They previously met at UFC 261, where Namajunas won the title via first-round knockout. [9]

A women’s bantamweight bout between former UFC Women's Featherweight Champion Germaine de Randamie and Irene Aldana was expected to take place at the event. [10] However, de Randamie withdrew in early September due to injury. [11]

A middleweight bout between former Strikeforce and UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold and Sean Strickland was expected to take place at the event. [12] However on October 11, Rockhold withdrew due to a herniated disc. [13]

Phil Hawes and Chris Curtis were expected to meet in a middleweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Rodriguez a month earlier, but due to Curtis being tapped as a replacement just a day before that event, Hawes declined the matchup. [14] They met at this event. [15]

A featherweight contest between Melsik Baghdasaryan and T.J. Laramie was scheduled for the event. [16] However, Laramie was forced to pull out after he was diagnosed with an MRSA infection. [17] He was replaced by promotional newcomer Bruno Souza. [18] At the weigh-ins, Souza weighed in at 148.4 pounds, 2.4 pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at a catchweight and he forfeited 20% of his purse to Baghdasaryan. [7]

A light heavyweight fight between Aleksa Camur and John Allan was scheduled for the event. [19] However, Camur pulled out of the bout citing an undisclosed injury and was replaced by Dustin Jacoby. [20]

At the weigh-ins, C.J. Vergara weighed in at 127.4 pounds, 1.4 pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at a catchweight and he forfeited 20% of his purse to his opponent Ode' Osbourne. [7]

Results

Main card
Weight classMethodRoundTimeNotes
Welterweight Kamaru Usman (c)def. Colby Covington Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 49–46)55:00 [lower-alpha 1]
Women's Strawweight Rose Namajunas (c)def. Zhang Weili Decision (split) (47–48, 48–47, 49–46)55:00 [lower-alpha 2]
Bantamweight Marlon Vera def. Frankie Edgar KO (front kick)33:50
Featherweight Shane Burgos def. Billy Quarantillo Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)35:00
Lightweight Justin Gaethje def. Michael Chandler Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27)35:00
Preliminary card (ESPNews / ESPN+)
Middleweight Alex Pereira def. Andreas Michailidis TKO (flying knee and punches)20:18
Lightweight Bobby Green def. Al Iaquinta TKO (punches)12:25
Middleweight Chris Curtis def. Phil Hawes KO (punches)14:27
Middleweight Nassourdine Imavov def. Edmen Shahbazyan TKO (elbows)24:42
Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)
Welterweight Ian Machado Garry def. Jordan Williams KO (punches)14:59
Heavyweight Chris Barnett def. Gian Villante TKO (spinning wheel kick and punches)22:23
Light Heavyweight Dustin Jacoby def. John Allan Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27)35:00
Catchweight (148.4 lb) Melsik Baghdasaryan def. Bruno Souza Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)35:00
Catchweight (127.4 lb) Ode' Osbourne def. C.J. Vergara Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)35:00
  1. For the UFC Welterweight Championship.
  2. For the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship.

[21]

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses. [22]

Aftermath

This event won the UFC Honors 2021 Event of the Year award as voted by the fans. [23]

See also

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References

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