Author: Dan Hiergesell

We are just hours away from one of the biggest fights of the year as Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal collide this evening (Sat., Mar. 5, 2022) at UFC 272 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

While there’s no official title on the line this is a massive fight for both Covington and Masvidal. The welterweight contenders used to be best of friends and now they find themselves on the cusp of a five-round war to settle a rivalry years in the making. Not to mention they’re currently jockeying for position atop the UFC’s crowded welterweight division in hopes of locking down another title shot.

In preparation for tonight’s grudge match, the promotion has released the latest and greatest episode of UFC 272 “Embedded,” which can be seen in the above video player. This time around the behind-the-scenes action focuses on weight cuts, last-second gameplan tweaks, and final staredowns.

From the official YouTube description:

Bitter rivals Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal make weight along with the other stars of UFC 272. Bryce Mitchell enjoys homemade spaghetti with his coaches. Competitors face off at weigh-ins at T-Mobile, where Rafael dos Anjos and Renato Moicano come face-to-face; as do Edson Barboza and Bryce Mitchell.

To watch UFC 272 “Embedded” episodes one and two click here and here. For episodes three, four, and five, click here.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 272 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Beneil Dariush is hoping to re-book his previously canceled matchup with fellow lightweight contender Islam Makhachev after deciding to skip surgery for a broken fibula.

After winning his last seven trips to the Octagon — including a recent decision win over Tony Ferguson — Dariush was lined up to fight Makhachev last month at UFC Vegas 49. Unfortunately, Dariush injured his leg during training and was forced to withdraw from the main event clash. Bobby Green ended up filling in on super short notice and Makhachev handily defeated him via first-round TKO (see it HERE).

Dariush initially believed he may need surgery to repair his broken fibula that would have sidelined him for four months, but now he’s being told that a steady dose of physical therapy should allow him to return to training in just 6-8 weeks.

“The physical therapy comes in for the ankle,” Dariush told ESPN earlier this week. “The ankle right now is going to get weaker and it’s going to get lazy. And also certain ways you sleep and things you do, it’s going to get tighter. The ankle goes downhill. The physical therapy is really just to keep the ankle healthy and if the ankle is healthy, I should be able to be 100 percent [in] six to eight weeks is what they’re saying.

“At first, they were talking four months just to start training again,” continued Dariush. “So when I heard six to eight weeks, I almost started crying again. Man, it was a rough week for me.”

Luckily, Dariush is still lined up to fight Makhachev when he makes his return to the Octagon. Makhachev pushed his current win streak to 10 with his win over Green, but after denying to step in on short notice and fight Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 272 this weekend the Russian contender was thrown in the company doghouse. UFC president Dana White revealed that Makhachev would not be getting the next lightweight title shot and that the promotion is hoping to re-book his fight with Dariush sometime in the near future.

According to Dariush’s recent update the matchup has a chance of going down sometime this summer.

“I really want to see this fight, too,” said Dariush. “I got so stoked. I was like, ‘Yes! Thank God, we’re going to be rescheduled’. I mean, I feel bad for Islam. I’m sure he’s not very happy about the situation, but this is the ideal situation for me where I get this fight rebooked.

“I’d like to have another 10 weeks for this camp, if possible. But if it’s shorter, it’s shorter. But that would be ideal. June, July — those are good dates. We’ll see.”

What do you think, fight fans? Is Dariush vs. Makhachev the fight to make? Or should UFC reward Makhachev with his title shot?

Let’s hear it in the comments below!

Kamaru Usman currently sits as the pound-for-pound best fighter in mixed martial arts (MMA) today, but the reigning UFC welterweight champion is willing to put all of that on the line in a boxing match against perennial champion Canelo Alvarez.

Usman, who has decimated the UFC’s stacked welterweight division over the past three years, is quickly running out of opponents for his next title defense. Outside of guys like Leon Edwards and Khamzat Chimaev, Usman has no new contenders to prepare for. He’s already defeated the likes of Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, and Gilbert Burns, and while Usman could always make a move up in weight that seems unlikely at this time.

Instead, Usman continues to focus on a crossover boxing match with Alvarez, who is widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in his sport. While Usman is more known for his wrestling and non-stop motor, “Nigerian Nightmare” thinks he would do well in a boxing match with Canelo. It’s obviously up for debate, but most people believe Usman would be biting off more than he can chew based on a number of factors like technique, experience, and level of competition. The UFC welterweight champion doesn’t see it that way.

“In 2022, I’m gonna shock the world,” Usman told TMZ Sports. “July, International Fight Week, I’m gonna fight Leon Edwards. God willing I get through Leon Edwards, September, Mexican Independence Day, I will stop Canelo Alvarez.

“Absolutely I see myself winning that fight. And that’s the thing that a lot of people fail to realize. A lot of people, because they think they can’t do something, they try to put that upon you. ‘Oh, you can’t do that. It can’t be done.’ Everything can’t be done until it’s done. So a lot of people are gonna say, ‘You can’t do it. No, he’s too good, he’s too skilled, too strong.’ Yeah, they said that about Tyron Woodley. He’s too big, he’s got knockout power, he’s fast, he’s explosive. What happened? I told him I was gonna dominate him for five rounds and I did that. I’m not gonna step in there if I don’t think I can get it done.”

Usman, 34, has hinted at possibly retiring from MMA so his time inside of the Octagon may already be numbered. Now would be the time to strike while the iron is hot and book a matchup between the two best pound-for-pound fighters in combat sports today. According to Usman, it would be in Canelo’s best interest to accept the fight and make the biggest payday available to him. That’s because the UFC champion believes he’s the biggest draw out there for the Mexican fighter.

“Boxing is dead at the end of the day and I’m not saying there’s not good boxers, there’s some fantastic boxers,” Usman said. “Errol Spence Jr., I mean there’s a ton of guys that I could go down and really tell you that are fantastic fighters. But boxing is dying. At the end of the day, everybody wants to be entertained. And when have you ever seen the pound-for-pound against the pound-for-pound?

“He’s walking around saying payday, payday… absolutely. It’s the biggest payday you are ever gonna make. I understand that he gets paid, he makes money. But fighting me is the biggest payday he’s ever gonna make. We talking nine figures, for sure.”

Whenever these crossover matchups are discussed we automatically think of Conor McGregor’s massive superfight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. back in 2017. Many fighters have tried to replicate McGregor’s move over to boxing, but it just doesn’t work the same. That fight will arguably never be matched in buildup, PPV buys, and overall intrigue, which is why it’s difficult to think that Canelo could make “nine figures” fighting Usman.

That said, both fighters are running out of notable options so maybe a superfight is the right move to make. Just don’t expect it to break any records.

What do you think, Maniacs? Is Usman vs. Canelo something you want to see? Does Usman stand a chance inside of the boxing ring?

Sound off!

The wait is almost over as welterweight contenders Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal finally lock horns tomorrow night (Sat., Mar. 5, 2022) at UFC 272 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

This matchup has been a long-time coming since the former best friends turned enemies a few years ago. Covington is the favorite to take care of business, but “Gamebred” is always capable of scoring an improbable knockout, especially against a fighter he’s so familiar with. It will be interesting to say the least and a matchup that should provide some clarity atop the UFC’s stacked 170-pound division.

In preparation for the biggest grudge match of 2022, UFC has released the latest collection of UFC 272 “Embedded” videos, which feature an in-depth look at fight week and last-second preparations. There has been a lot of back-and-forth leading up to this main event between “Chaos” and Masvidal so it wasn’t surprising to see that animosity trickle over into UFC’s vlog series.

Check out UFC 272 “Embedded” episode three below:

From the official YouTube description:

Colby Covington stays high energy in interviews and training. Rafael dos Anjos adjusts to a new opponent in a new weight class. Bryce Mitchell and Edson Barboza head to Vegas; Jorge Masvidal checks in for fight week. UFC 272 is on Saturday, March 5.

Check out UFC 272 “Embedded” episode four below:

From the official YouTube description:

Colby Covington connects with UFC champ Amanda Nunes; Jorge Masvidal chills at the UFC PI. Renato Moicano jumps at an opportunity. Bryce Mitchell enjoys the fight week experience. UFC 272 is on Saturday, March 5.

Check out UFC 272 “Embedded” episode five below:

From the official YouTube description:

Rafael dos Anjos kicks off an unusual fight week. Renato Moicano and Edson Barboza train at the PI; Bryce Mitchell focuses on recovery and a pre-fight ritual. Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington exchange unpleasantries at the press conference.

To watch UFC 272 “Embedded” episodes one and two click here and here.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 272 fight card on fight night, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

The biggest grudge match of the year will pop off tomorrow night (Sat., Mar. 5, 2022) at UFC 272 live on ESPN+ PPV from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, as Colby Covington meets former best friend Jorge Masvidal in a crucial welterweight main event.

This five-round affair means a lot to both fighters. Not only is it a chance to prove they are still top contenders in the UFC’s welterweight division, but also an opportunity to finally settle their long-standing beef. It would have been even more interesting if Covington and Masvidal were fighting for a title, but you can thank reigning UFC welterweight king Kamaru Usman for ruining that possibility.

Still, Covington’s main event matchup with Masvidal is expected to pack a ton of fireworks. It’s a clash of conflicting styles featuring a high-paced pressure cooker in “Chaos” and an opportunistic knockout specialist in Masvidal. While Covington is a 3-1 favorite to leave UFC 272 with a victory anything is truly possible. Masvidal is a special kind of fighter who seems to rise to the occasion more often than not so we should never count him out.

Before Covington and “Gamebred” settle their differences inside of the Octagon they stepped on stage for one final staredown earlier tonight at UFC 272’s ceremonial weigh ins (watch HERE). Check it out below:

In addition, UFC 272 will feature a makeshift co-main event between lightweight contenders Rafael dos Anjos and Renato Moicano. Dos Anjos was originally expected to fight Rafael Fiziev, but that bout was canceled and Moicano was asked to step in on short notice for a 160-pound catchweight affair. Their staredown can be seen below as well:

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 272 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Islam Makhachev may have secured his first UFC lightweight title shot after taking out Bobby Green with a first-round TKO in their main event showdown last night (Sat., Feb. 26, 2022) at UFC Vegas 49 live on ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In addition to the lightweight headliner, UFC Vegas 49 produced a laundry list of finishes and memorable slugfests. Check them out below and let us know which one stood out the most:

• Welterweight prospect Ramiz Brahimaj scored another impressive submission finish when he stopped Micheal Gillmore via first-round rear-naked choke (see it HERE)
• Terrance McKinney made good on his sophomore appearance when he finished lightweight prospect Fares Ziam via first-round submission
• Lightweight prospect Ignacio Bahamondes scored his second-straight Octagon finish with a third-round submission over the talented Rong Zhu
• Priscila Cachoeira outlasted Ji Yeon Kim in a grueling women’s flyweight war to earn her third win in her last four UFC appearances
• Arman Tsarukyan pushed his current win streak to five with a dominant TKO stoppage over fellow lightweight contender Joel Alvarez (highlights HERE)
• Wellington Turman banked an incredible comeback submission finish over Misha Cirkunov in their middleweight co-main event (watch HERE)

In order to sift through the action and see which fighters took home an extra $50,000, we take a closer look at the official UFC Vegas 49 bonus winners below:

• Fight of the Night: Priscila Cachoeira vs. Ji Yeon Kim
• Performance of the Night: Wellington Turman
• Performance of the Night: Arman Tsarukyan

For complete UFC Vegas 49 results and coverage click here.