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It’s a grudge match in the main event of UFC 245, as current welterweight champion Kamaru Usman takes on Colby Covington.
The main event of UFC 245 this weekend features a grudge match, as UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (15-1 MMA; 10-1 UFC) attempts to make the first defense of his title, as he takes on former interim champion Colby Covington (15-1 MMA; 10-1 UFC) his first ever UFC loss and retain his title. UFC 245: Usman vs. Covington airs live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday night, December 14th. The main card airs on PPV via ESPN+ with a fight time of 10:00 p.m. ET / 7:00 p.m. PT, with the ESPN2 prelims beginning at 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. ET on Fight Pass.
How do these two stack up?
Usman: 32 years old | 6’0” | 76” reach
Covington: 31 years old | 5’11” | 72” reach
What have these two done recently?
Usman: W – Tyron Woodley (DEC) | W – Rafael Dos Anjos (DEC) | W – Demian Maia (DEC)
Volkanovski: W – Robbie Lawler (DEC) | W – Rafael Dos Anjos (DEC) | W – Demian Maia (DEC)
How did these two get here?
Usman has had a phenomenal run in the UFC, and just continued to get better every time he steps into the octagon. After ten fights for the promotion, he is now the UFC welterweight champion after dominating Tyron Woodley back in March to win a one-sided unanimous decision. Consecutive decision wins against Rafael Dos Anjos and Demian Maia before that have evidenced that as the competition continued to get better for Usman, he would step up to the plate every time. His non-stop output and endless cardio is a pleasure to watch.
Love him or hate him, Covington leaves his trash talk at the door when he steps foot into the Octagon. In his last fight against former champion Robbie Lawler, Covington broke a UFC record for the most strikes thrown in a UFC fight, 541. That’s over one-hundred strikers per round. Like Usman, Covington won decisions against Dos Anjos and Maia before his last fight. The former interim champ is adamant he can beat Usman at his own game, and it will be interesting to see if the hatred between these two effects the way either of them fight at UFC 245.
Why should you care?
This is undoubtedly one of the biggest grudge matches of the year, and both man have shown to have limitless gas tanks which makes for a compelling matchup.