UFC 245: Usman vs. Covington | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 245: Usman vs. Covington — December 14, 2019, T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas. The year-end card that closed the richest twelve months in recent UFC history delivered three title fights and one of the most competitive championship bouts of 2019. Kamaru Usman made his first WW title defence by stopping Colby Covington with a right hand and follow-up punches at 3:52 of round five, ending one of the closest and most physically demanding championship fights of the year. Alexander Volkanovski became the new UFC Featherweight Champion by defeating Max Holloway by split decision — a result that generated immediate and lasting controversy, with many scorecards having Holloway winning. And Amanda Nunes made her Women’s Bantamweight title defence convincingly against Germaine de Randamie.
Three title fights on one card in Las Vegas in December — a fitting close to a year that included UFC 239, UFC 241, UFC 243, and UFC 244.
Quick Stats
📅 Date: December 14, 2019
📍 Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ PPV
🏆 Main Event: Usman (c) vs. Covington — UFC WW Championship
✅ Results: Usman def. Covington TKO R5 | Volkanovski def. Holloway SD (NEW champion) | Nunes def. de Randamie UD
The Build-Up
Usman vs. Covington was the WW division’s defining rivalry. They had been teammates and then bitter enemies, with Covington’s provocative public persona and Usman’s increasing dominance creating a tension that extended well beyond standard title fight promotion. Covington had a genuine case as the best WW challenger — a dominant grappler with wrestling credentials and the volume striking to make a 25-minute fight competitive. Usman had been champion since his UFC 235 decision over Tyron Woodley and was yet to show a clear weakness. The FW title fight between Volkanovski and Holloway was the second chapter of a trilogy; Volkanovski had earned the shot with his UD of Jose Aldo at UFC 243. Holloway was defending after three title defences, the last being his 55-second stoppage of Edgar at UFC 240.
Main Event — Usman vs. Covington
Kamaru Usman (c) vs. Colby Covington — UFC Welterweight Championship
Twenty-five minutes of the most sustained, physically demanding WW championship action the UFC had produced in years. Covington entered with a game plan built on volume — he threw over 200 significant strikes across the five rounds, landing consistently and making the fight legitimately difficult for Usman throughout. Rounds one and two were largely Covington’s, with his wrestling preventing Usman from establishing his own grappling game and his striking volume keeping the champion honest on the feet. Usman’s pace was measured; he absorbed more punishment than in any previous fight.
The tide shifted in rounds three and four as Usman’s cardio advantage became apparent. Covington’s output remained high but his power faded; Usman’s did not. In round five, Usman landed a right hand that broke Covington’s jaw — Covington fought on, as the crowd audibly recognised the momentum had shifted — and Usman followed with punching combinations that brought the stoppage at 3:52. Referee Jason Herzog stepped in. The finish, coming in round five of a fight Covington had been legitimately competitive in for 23 minutes, was one of the most dramatically satisfying championship finishes of 2019.
Co-Main Event — Volkanovski vs. Holloway
Max Holloway (c) vs. Alexander Volkanovski — UFC Featherweight Championship
One of the most debated FW championship results in UFC history. Volkanovski’s wrestling-oriented gameplan allowed him to neutralise Holloway’s supreme volume striking by taking him down and controlling positions on the ground. Holloway landed the more significant shots on the feet and many observers had him winning the striking exchanges in rounds two, three, and four. But Volkanovski’s takedowns and positional control gave him enough round-winning material to secure two of the three judges’ scorecards. The final decision was 48-47, 48-47, 47-48 for Volkanovski. Holloway was gracious in defeat publicly, but the immediate fan and media reaction was strongly critical of the scoring.
Volkanovski becoming FW champion was the era-defining moment for Australian MMA’s FW division and for his own legacy. The controversy ensured an immediate rematch, which Volkanovski won again at UFC 251, confirming the result. Holloway’s run from UFC 212 through UFC 240 remains one of the sport’s great championship runs.
Full Results
Main Card
Usman def. Covington — TKO (punches) | R5 3:52 | WW Championship (Usman 1st defence)
Volkanovski def. Holloway — Split Decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48) | R5 | FW Championship (Volkanovski NEW champion)
Nunes def. de Randamie — Unanimous Decision | R5 | Women’s BW Championship
Geoff Neal def. Belal Muhammad — TKO | R1 | WW
Jose Aldo def. Marlon Moraes — Unanimous Decision | R3 | BW (Aldo’s BW debut)
Preliminary Card
Petr Yan def. Urijah Faber — TKO | R4 | BW (Faber’s farewell fight)
Matt Brown def. Ben Saunders — TKO | R1 | WW
Bonuses & Awards
🏅 Performance of the Night ($50,000 each): Kamaru Usman (R5 TKO of Covington to retain WW title); Geoff Neal (R1 TKO of Muhammad); Petr Yan (R4 TKO of Faber).
🏅 Fight of the Night ($50,000 each): Usman and Covington for the sustained 5-round WW championship war.
Records & Milestones
Volkanovski’s championship win marked the end of Holloway’s FW reign and the beginning of the most dominant era in FW history. Three title fights on one card is one of the rarest and most valued formats in UFC event history. Jose Aldo’s bantamweight debut win over Marlon Moraes was a remarkable achievement for a former FW champion reinventing himself at BW. Petr Yan’s finish of Urijah Faber was Faber’s farewell to the UFC after a 17-year career. Geoff Neal’s R1 destruction of Belal Muhammad flagged him as a future WW contender.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 245 was the perfect year-end statement for 2019 — a year that delivered more stacked cards, more championship drama, and more historic moments than almost any in UFC history. The WW main event produced one of the best five-round fights of the year. The FW result launched a title era that would define the division for years, even as its legitimacy was debated. The BMF belt, the stadium in Melbourne, Khabib’s return in Abu Dhabi, Miocic’s body-shot masterpiece, Adesanya’s unification — UFC 245 closed a year where the sport had rarely felt more alive. For the full 2019 picture, the series from UFC 234 through 245 covers it all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the Volkanovski vs. Holloway decision at UFC 245 controversial?
Extremely. The split decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48 for Volkanovski) was disputed by a majority of observers who had Holloway winning on the feet across multiple rounds. The controversy produced an immediate rematch at UFC 251 in 2020, which Volkanovski also won.
How did Usman beat Covington at UFC 245?
Usman weathered a strong start from Covington, absorbed high volume across four rounds, and broke through in round five with a right hand that fractured Covington’s jaw. He followed with punching combinations and referee Jason Herzog stopped it at 3:52. One of 2019’s most dramatic late-round finishes.
How many title fights were on UFC 245?
Three: Usman def. Covington (WW Championship), Volkanovski def. Holloway (FW Championship, new champion), and Nunes def. de Randamie (Women’s BW Championship). Three title fights on one card is one of the rarest formats in UFC event history.
Who received the UFC 245 post-fight bonuses?
FOTN: Usman and Covington ($50k each). POTN: Kamaru Usman ($50k, R5 TKO of Covington); Geoff Neal ($50k, R1 TKO of Muhammad); Petr Yan ($50k, R4 TKO of Faber).
References
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