5 biggest winners from UFC 268: Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington 2
UFC 268: Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington 2 was one of the most loaded events of 2021, and it delivered tons of action inside the octagon.
With two title fights and numerous top contenders in action, UFC 268 had high stakes for several fighters, and so there were plenty of big winners.
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So who came up trumps in New York’s famous Madison Square Garden last night?
There were plenty of fighters to choose from, but here are the five biggest winners from UFC 268: Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington 2.
#5. Nassourdine Imavov – defeated Edmen Shahbazyan in a UFC middleweight bout
UFC 268 saw plenty of fighters looking to climb up the ladder in their respective divisions. The likes of Bobby Green, Chris Curtis and Shane Burgos did just that, while Alex Pereira made an explosive impact in his octagon debut.
However, the fighter who made the biggest impact on the preliminary card was probably Nassourdine Imavov.
The French-based Dagestani had already looked impressive once in 2021, stopping the tough Ian Heinisch. However, last night looked like a big step up for him against his first high-level opponent in the UFC.
He faced Edman Shahbazyan, one of the hottest prospects in the world at 185lbs. With ‘The Golden Boy’ looking to bounce back from two losses, it seemed likely that Imavov would be in for a tough night.
However, ‘The Russian Sniper’ turned the tables and dominated Shahbazyan, eventually finishing him off with a series of brutal elbows from a mounted crucifix.
France's own making a name for himself!
🇫🇷 Nassourdine Imavov gets his second-straight TKO victory at #UFC268.
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Sure, ‘The Golden Boy’ had shown weaknesses in his wrestling before, but even Derek Brunson hadn’t really dealt with him with as much ease as Imavov did. Shahbazyan couldn’t stop his striking, couldn’t stop his takedowns, and on the ground, ‘The Russian Sniper’ beat the hell out of him.
This was an eye-opening performance from him, and given that Shahbazyan was ranked at No.11 in the UFC middleweight division prior to last night, it should net him a spot in the rankings next week. Whoever is next for him definitely has their hands full.