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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) invaded Newark, New Jersey, last night (Sat., Aug. 3, 2019) to stage UFC on ESPN 5 from inside Prudential Center, featuring a Welterweight fight that saw Colby Covington defeat Robbie Lawler after five rounds of action (see it). The co-main event, though, didn’t even go past a minute, as Jim Miller stunned, then submitted Clay Guida with a guillotine choke (highlights).
Biggest Winner: Colby Covington
With his win over “Ruthless,” Colby finally locks down his much-desired title fight at 170-pounds, and this time it will be for all the marbles, not an interim belt. What’s even better is that he has legit beef with current champion, Kamaru Usman, who once had “Chaos” feeling like he had amnesia after confronting him backstage at a presser.
And let’s not forget the near-brawl they almost had at a buffet line in Las Vegas, Nevada. And if last night’s interaction between the two men on the ESPN broadcast booth was any indication, the leadup to this fight is going to be something else. Colby deserves the title fight, which may put a damper on Jorge Masvidal’s mood.
Runner Up: Jim Miller
After losing four in a row, leading to many thinking maybe retirement was the way to go, Miller has drastically turned his career around. Indeed, the longtime UFC veteran has now won three of his last four, all via submission. His last two wins came in the very first round, with his win over Clay taking just 58 seconds.
And it showed his tenacity, as he was rocked just seconds before returning the favor and eventually sinking in the fight-ending submission. Miller is one of the true veterans of the fight game and one of the true gentleman of the sport. I really hope he can keep it going so he can somehow work his way into the championship mix before he dices to call it a day. Miller has long been a hard worker, skilled fighter and game opponent, so many he can use his recent success as motivation to not let his foot of the gas.
Honorable Mention: Nasrat Haqparast
Let’s give the up-and-coming 23-year old some love, as he collected his third straight win inside the Octagon by knocking Joaquim Silva with a devastating left hand (see it again here). Nasrat moves to 3-1 inside the Octagon and 11-2 overall. The knockout victory also earned him his second straight $50,000 post-fight bonus. Nasrat made big strides in order to move up the highly-crowded Lightweight division, and since he’s training out of famed Tri-Star gym, the talented 155-pounder can only get better and will prove to be a stiff test for anyone standing across from him. Indeed, Nasrat is someone to keep an eye on moving forward.
Biggest Loser: Robbie Lawler
Robbie simply didn’t have an answer for Colby’s relentless pace and wrestling. Other than a few bright spots in round three, “Ruthless” didn’t really have an offensive output to offer “Chaos,” leading to a lopsided loss to the former interim Welterweight champion.
But let’s give credit where credit is due, as Colby did his part to prevent the hard-hitting ex-champion from firing off his haymakers in the hopes of landing a one-hitter quitter. That is now three straight losses for the former division champion, who has dropped four of five, with his last win coming in mid 2017. Granted, it’s not like Robbie has been losing to scrubs, as his defeats have all come to former world champions and some of the best to ever do it. But at the end of the day, losing three in a row isn’t a good look, as this now puts him at a crossroads in his MMA career.
For complete UFC Newark results and coverage click here.