UFC 268

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UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2
The poster for UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateNovember 6, 2021 (2021-11-06)
VenueMadison Square Garden
CityNew 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]

Background[edit]

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[edit]

Main card
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Welterweight Kamaru Usman (c) def. Colby Covington Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 49–46) 5 5:00 [a]
Women's Strawweight Rose Namajunas (c) def. Zhang Weili Decision (split) (47–48, 48–47, 49–46) 5 5:00 [b]
Bantamweight Marlon Vera def. Frankie Edgar KO (front kick) 3 3:50
Featherweight Shane Burgos def. Billy Quarantillo Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Lightweight Justin Gaethje def. Michael Chandler Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) 3 5:00
Preliminary card (ESPNews / ESPN+)
Middleweight Alex Pereira def. Andreas Michailidis TKO (flying knee and punches) 2 0:18
Lightweight Bobby Green def. Al Iaquinta TKO (punches) 1 2:25
Middleweight Chris Curtis def. Phil Hawes KO (punches) 1 4:27
Middleweight Nassourdine Imavov def. Edmen Shahbazyan TKO (elbows) 2 4:42
Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)
Welterweight Ian Machado Garry def. Jordan Williams KO (punches) 1 4:59
Heavyweight Chris Barnett def. Gian Villante TKO (spinning wheel kick and punches) 2 2:23
Light Heavyweight Dustin Jacoby def. John Allan Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) 3 5:00
Catchweight (148.4 lb) Melsik Baghdasaryan def. Bruno Souza Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Catchweight (127.4 lb) Ode' Osbourne def. C.J. Vergara Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
  1. ^ For the UFC Welterweight Championship.
  2. ^ For the UFC Women's Strawweight Championship.

[21]

Bonus awards[edit]

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

  • Fight of the Night: Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler
  • Performance of the Night: Marlon Vera, Alex Pereira, Bobby Green, and Chris Barnett

Aftermath[edit]

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

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Mike Bohn (2021-11-07). "UFC 268 post-event facts: Kamaru Usman highlights record-setting event". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  2. ^ Alexander K.Lee (2021-11-23). "UFC 268 reportedly tops 700K pay-per-view buys in U.S." mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  3. ^ Milan Ordoñez (2021-08-28). "UFC 268 set for New York City; Gaethje vs. Chandler, Namajunas vs. Zhang 2 confirmed". bloodyelbow.com. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  4. ^ Shakiel Mahjouri (2021-07-26). "Usman vs. Covington 2 set for UFC 268". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  5. ^ Brian Campbell and Brent Brookhouse (2019-12-15). "UFC 245 results, highlights: Kamaru Usman outlasts Colby Covington in hellacious war for late TKO victory". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  6. ^ Guilherme Cruz (2021-11-03). "Vicente Luque to serve as backup fighter for UFC 268 headliner Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-11-03.
  7. ^ a b c Alexander K. Lee (2021-11-05). "UFC 268 weigh-in results: Two title fights set; Main event backup Vicente Luque, two others miss weight". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
  8. ^ Nolan King (2021-08-28). "Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili 2 among latest additions to official UFC 268 card". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  9. ^ Brett Okamoto (2021-04-25). "Rose Namajunas wins UFC's strawweight title with shocking knockout of Zhang Weili". espn.com. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  10. ^ Jay Anderson (2021-08-28). "Germaine de Randamie vs. Irene Aldana Added to UFC 268 in NYC". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  11. ^ Darryl Pinto (2021-09-08). "BREAKING: Germaine de Randamie Out of Her UFC 268 Fight Against Irene Aldana". essentiallysports.com. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  12. ^ Daniel Cunningham (2021-08-04). "UFC books Luke Rockhold – Sean Strickland". empiresportsmedia.com. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  13. ^ Mike Bohn (2021-10-11). "Luke Rockhold injured, out of UFC 268 fight with Sean Strickland". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
  14. ^ Alexander K. Lee (2021-10-08). "Phil Hawes vs. Chris Curtis short-notice bout off of UFC Vegas 39". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
  15. ^ Marcel Dorff (2021-10-13). "BREAKING: Yet another match between Phil Hawes and Chris Curtis, now at UFC 268 in New York". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2021-10-14. (in Dutch)
  16. ^ Alex Behunin (2021-08-31). "Melsik Baghdasaryan vs. TJ Laramie added to UFC 268". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  17. ^ Nolan King (2021-10-23). "T.J. Laramie announces UFC 268 withdrawal after MRSA diagnosis, shares graphic images". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  18. ^ Marcel Dorff (2021-10-30). "BREAKING: LFA Champion Bruno Souza meets Melsik Baghdasaryan on November 6 in New York". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2021-10-30. (in Dutch)
  19. ^ VH Gonzaga (2021-08-30). "With his sights on his first win at UFC, John Allan faces Aleksa Camur at UFC 268". superlutas.com.br. Retrieved 2021-11-01. (in Portuguese)
  20. ^ Marcel Dorff (2021-11-01). "Dustin Jacoby replaces Aleksa Camur against John Allan in New York on Saturday". mmadna.nl. Retrieved 2021-11-01. (in Dutch)
  21. ^ "UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2". Ultimate Fighting Championship. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  22. ^ Alexander K. Lee (2021-11-07). "UFC 268 bonuses: Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler thriller leads night of six winners". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  23. ^ UFC (2022-01-16). "Dana White's 2021 President's Choice Awards - UFC Honors". YouTube. Retrieved 2024-01-13.
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