Bragging rights for former interim UFC welterweight champion, Colby Covington — who scores a rather comprehensive unanimous decision (49-46, 50-44, 50-45) win over former teammate and friend, Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 272.
A dominant round for the former interim champion, Covington, who manages to sit out on the back of Masvidal after a series of takedowns at the fence following an eye poke. Covington imposed his wrestling and top control early. One round in the books for the Clovis native.
A promising start to the second round from Masvidal who lands a good series of leg kicks as well as a couple body kicks. Covington ties up at the fence, eats a slew of elbows, and then lands a groin strike after a miscued knee strike.
Covington again wains on Masvidal with pressure in the final minute of the frame, forcing the latter to fight off the back foot. The round ends in the clinch, and it appears that Masvidal is feeling the effects of Covington’s late round pressure and that taxing clinch work paired with takedown defense.
Covington lands his fourth takedown of the fight just after the opening minute elapses in the third round, and this time, he lands in full guard, and starts laying down ground strikes. Masvidal scrambles following a neck crank attempt from Covington, however, the #1 ranked contender winds up on top again in a hugely dominant round.
Massive moment in the fourth for Masvidal who clips Covington with a right hook, drawing a wobble from the Clovis native who then recovers and once more clinches to stifle any offense from Masvidal.
Dominant fifth and final round for Covington as well, who relentlessly lays his weight on Masvidal at the fence, constantly forcing the Miami native to work and carry his weight with just over a minute and a half remaining in the frame. Some brief afters the horn as Covington lands strikes from the top. Bragging rights for the former interim champion.
