UFC Predictions: UFC 272: Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal
The worldโs premier MMA promotion returns to pay-per-view this weekend, as UFC 272: Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal goes down from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC 272 features a very deep card, including a major grudge match in the headliner between former friends-turned-rivals Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal.
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So with plenty at stake this weekend and chances for multiple fighters to climb into title contention, who will come out on top?
Here are the predicted outcomes for UFC 272: Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal.
#1. UFC welterweight division: Colby Covington vs. Jorge Masvidal
The first UFC pay-per-view not to feature a title bout in its headliner since UFC 264 โ which was headlined by Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier โ this weekendโs event sees a major grudge match at the top of the card.
Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal were not only teammates at American Top Team a handful of years ago, but they were also close friends, or so the story goes. Covington even stayed on Masvidalโs couch for a time.
However, when โChaosโ began his trash-talking rampage back in 2017, he found himself on the outs with his teammates, including Masvidal. Since then, the two welterweights have built up a substantial rivalry.
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When all the talking ends this weekend, though, which of these outstanding fighters will come out on top? Itโs quite a difficult one to call overall.
Both men have put together plenty of victories in recent years and their only losses have come at the hands of UFC welterweight kingpin Kamaru Usman, who beat both men twice. Of course, thereโs no shame in losing to โThe Nigerian Nightmareโ, though, and thereโs a genuine argument to suggest โChaosโ and โGamebredโ could beat everyone else in the division.
On paper, at least, the stylistic match seems to favor Covington. Heโs probably the second-best wrestler in the division behind Usman. When the champ chose to really look to grapple with Masvidal in their first meeting in July 2020, โGamebredโ didnโt have much of an answer.
However, itโs worth noting that, firstly, Masvidal took the bout on late notice, meaning that he perhaps didnโt have enough time to drill his defensive wrestling properly. Prior to that fight, after all, heโd never really been blanketed.
Secondly, Covington is a very different fighter to Usman. โThe Nigerian Nightmareโ favors a methodical approach, using his jab and his takedowns to force opportunities to land the kind of bomb he used to knock Masvidal out in their second meeting.
โChaosโ, on the other hand, is all about pressure, forward motion and pushing a torrid pace. Usman was able to keep up with him, but prior to that, he totally overwhelmed Robbie Lawler, Rafael dos Anjos and Demian Maia, and did a great deal of damage with his striking.
If he chooses to stand with Masvidal, of course, he could find himself in trouble. โGamebredโ is one of the sharpest strikers in the promotion, even if there might be questions about how heโs going to rebound from his knockout to Usman.
However, can Masvidal really withstand the pace of Covington, particularly if โChaosโ chooses to look to implement his takedowns to really force his opponent on the back foot? Itโs hard to say.
Essentially, this one could go badly for Covington if he takes too many risks, but realistically, the stylistic match favors him too much to pick Masvidal.
The Pick: Covington via decision