Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington II targeted for UFC’s return to MSG
A rematch between two heated rivals is being targeted for the UFC’s planned return to Madison Square Garden this fall.
Dana White told ESPN Monday night that welterweight champion Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington II is a go for November’s UFC 268 — an event they are trying to hold in New York City.
Usman (19-1) defeated Covington by fifth round TKO in a competitive December 2019 clash at UFC 245, a fight that saw Usman break Covington’s jaw. Usman has four successful title defense since taking the title from Tyron Woodley in March 2019 and last defeated Jorge Masvidal in an April rematch.
Covington (16-2) has only fought once since the Usman loss, picking up a dominant fifth round TKO win over Woodley in September 2020 after Woodley inured his rib.
This would be the UFC’s fifth trip to MSG dating back to 2017 with all shows taking place in November. They were unable to run there last year due to the pandemic.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.