UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Tito Wordsmith
- 11 hours ago
- 8 min read
Introduction
UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 took place on Saturday, November 6, 2021 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was the UFC's annual MSG show, the deepest card of 2021 in terms of in-cage quality and historical significance, and one of the most loaded title cards in promotion history with two championship fights and an all-time Fight of the Year contender on the main card. The event produced an estimated 700,000 pay-per-view buys and one of the highest UFC gates in MSG history.
Kamaru Usman fought a tactical five-round welterweight title defense against rival Colby Covington in their rematch. The first meeting at UFC 245 in December 2019 had been a back-and-forth Fight of the Year nominee that Usman finished in round five by TKO; the rematch was less dramatic but no less convincing. Usman controlled distance, mixed his wrestling with sustained striking output, and won 49-46, 49-46, 48-47 on the scorecards. It was his fifth successful welterweight title defense.
The co-main saw Rose Namajunas retain the strawweight title against Zhang Weili by split decision — a rematch from UFC 261 where Namajunas had finished Zhang by first-round head kick. The featured main-card bout produced the Fight of the Night: Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler trading rounds in one of the most violent five-round non-title fights in UFC history.
Contents
• FAQ
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, November 6, 2021
📍 Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA
👥 Attendance: 20,138 (full capacity)
💰 Gate: $9.4 million
📺 PPV Buys: ~700,000
📡 Broadcast: Pay-per-view (ESPN+ in USA)
🏆 Main Event: Kamaru Usman (c) vs. Colby Covington — UFC Welterweight Championship (170 lbs)
✅ Result: Usman def. Covington via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
🥇 Co-Main: Rose Namajunas (c) def. Zhang Weili via Split Decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46) — Strawweight Title
The Build-Up
Kamaru Usman entered UFC 268 as the most dominant welterweight champion in promotion history. He had successfully defended the title four times (against Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington at UFC 245, Gilbert Burns at UFC 258, and Jorge Masvidal twice at UFC 251 and UFC 261). Colby Covington had earned the rematch by going 1-1 since his UFC 245 loss — a Fight of the Night win over Tyron Woodley in September 2020 and a UD win over Trevor Wittman's training partner.
The first meeting at UFC 245 had been an instant classic — a back-and-forth title fight that included a Covington jaw fracture in round three and a Usman fifth-round TKO that confirmed him as the most complete welterweight champion in promotion history. The rematch was billed as Covington's redemption shot; the question was whether he had improved enough to challenge a champion who had clearly grown.
The co-main saw Rose Namajunas defend the strawweight title against Zhang Weili in their rematch — six months after Namajunas had finished Zhang by first-round head kick at UFC 261. Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler were paired as the third main-card bout in a non-title five-round lightweight fight.
Main Event: Usman vs. Covington 2
Usman fought a cleaner version of the first fight. He picked at Covington's lead leg with calf kicks throughout round one, scored a takedown in round two, and avoided the wrestling exchanges Covington wanted. Round three was Covington's best — the challenger landed his straight right hand cleanly twice and pressed Usman against the cage — but Usman recovered and won rounds four and five with a combination of takedown defense and sustained boxing output.
Final scorecards: 49-46, 49-46, 48-47 — a clear unanimous decision. Usman landed 90 significant strikes to Covington's 67. It was his fifth successful welterweight title defense and his 15th consecutive UFC win, the longest active winning streak in the welterweight division.
In his post-fight interview, Usman paid Covington respect: "Colby is tough. I respect him as a fighter, even if I don't respect him as a person." The two would not rematch. Usman would defend the title once more against Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in August 2022 — a fight Edwards won in the final 50 seconds via head-kick KO. Usman would not win another UFC fight.
Co-Main Event: Namajunas vs. Zhang 2
Zhang Weili came into the rematch in dramatically improved form. The Chinese star had spent the six months between fights rebuilding her striking defense; the head-kick finish at UFC 261 had been the most lopsided loss of her career and she had clearly worked on the openings. The rematch was a close five-round technical chess match, with Namajunas's lateral movement and counter-striking matched against Zhang's pressure and combinations.
Final scorecards: 48-47, 47-48, 49-46 — a split decision for Namajunas. The 49-46 card was widely seen as inflated; most observers had it as a 48-47 split that could have gone either way. Zhang was visibly emotional after the decision, and there was an immediate call for a trilogy bout. Namajunas would defend the title once more (a UD loss to Carla Esparza at UFC 274 in May 2022) before Zhang reclaimed it at UFC 281 in November 2022 by second-round submission of Esparza.
Full Results
Main Card (Pay-Per-View)
Kamaru Usman (c) def. Colby Covington — Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) — Welterweight Title
Rose Namajunas (c) def. Zhang Weili — Split Decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46) — Strawweight Title
Justin Gaethje def. Michael Chandler — Unanimous Decision (49-46, 48-47, 49-46) — Lightweight (5 rounds, non-title)
Marlon Vera def. Frankie Edgar — KO (front kick) — R1, 1:02 — Bantamweight
Shane Burgos def. Billy Quarantillo — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Featherweight
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
Phil Hawes def. N/A (Correction: Chris Curtis def. Phil Hawes via KO R2, 1:14) — Middleweight
Bobby Green def. Al Iaquinta — Unanimous Decision (30-27 ×3) — Lightweight
Edmen Shahbazyan def. Nassourdine Imavov — N/A (Correction: Imavov def. Shahbazyan via Unanimous Decision) — Middleweight
Melsik Baghdasaryan def. Bruno Souza — KO (punches) — R2, 1:09 — Featherweight
Bonuses & Awards
🥊 Fight of the Night: Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler — $50,000 each. The 5-round non-title war was widely regarded as a Fight of the Year contender.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Marlon Vera — $50,000 for the first-round front-kick KO of Frankie Edgar.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Chris Curtis — $50,000 for the second-round KO of Phil Hawes (short-notice UFC debut).
Records & Milestones
• Kamaru Usman's fifth consecutive UFC welterweight title defense — tying Georges St-Pierre's record at the time.
• Usman's 15th consecutive UFC win — the longest active win streak in the welterweight division.
• Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler — widely regarded as the 2021 UFC Fight of the Year.
• Frankie Edgar's KO loss to Marlon Vera was his final UFC fight — he retired after the bout at age 40.
• UFC 268 gate of $9.4 million — the highest non-McGregor UFC PPV gate of 2021.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 268 is widely regarded as one of the most loaded title cards in UFC history. Two championship fights, a Fight of the Year-winning non-title five-rounder, and a clear retirement moment for one of the most respected lightweight champions of the previous decade. The card's depth — four wins by elite contenders, three Performance bonuses, one Fight of the Night — made it the standard-bearer for what a UFC main event card could look like.
For Kamaru Usman, UFC 268 was the peak of his championship reign. He would defend once more at UFC 278 in August 2022 against Leon Edwards — a fight he was winning on cards before a fifth-round head-kick KO snatched the title away. He has not won a UFC bout since. He has remained the most respected welterweight contender of the post-title era but never reclaimed the belt.
For Justin Gaethje, the win over Chandler positioned him for a fourth UFC title shot — he challenged Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title at UFC 274 in May 2022 (submission loss) and won the BMF belt against Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 in July 2023. For Michael Chandler, the loss was his second UFC defeat in a row after the UFC 262 title-fight loss to Oliveira. He would not fight again until 2024 (Conor McGregor at UFC 309).
For Frankie Edgar, the front-kick KO loss to Marlon Vera was the formal end of his UFC career. He retired immediately after the fight at age 40 after 28 UFC bouts, three UFC title fights, and a former UFC lightweight title. He remains one of the most respected fighters of his era.
FAQ
Was Usman vs. Covington 2 closer than UFC 245?
On paper, less close. The first fight at UFC 245 had been a Fight of the Year nominee with a fifth-round TKO and a Covington broken jaw; the rematch was a more tactical UD with Usman winning 49-46 on two scorecards. In terms of in-cage drama, the first fight had more shifts and the rematch had more clean control. The rematch was the more decisive technical performance.
How close was the Namajunas-Zhang 2 decision?
Very close. Two judges had it 48-47 (one for each fighter), and the third had it 49-46 Namajunas — a score that was widely seen as inflated. Most analysts had it as a 48-47 split that could have gone either way. Zhang Weili was visibly emotional after the decision and there was an immediate call for a trilogy. The trilogy never materialised; Zhang reclaimed the title from Carla Esparza at UFC 281 in November 2022 and has held it since.
What made Gaethje-Chandler the 2021 Fight of the Year?
Five rounds, multiple near-finishes, and a level of striking exchange rare in UFC main events. Round one was an instant classic — both men dropped at different points within the first three minutes. Round two was a knockdown war. Rounds three through five were a chess match between two of the highest-volume lightweights in the division. Gaethje won the decision but Chandler's late-round flurries had judges divided. The Performance bonuses, the in-cage technical exchanges, and the sheer entertainment value made it the Fight of the Year for 2021.
Was Frankie Edgar's UFC 268 fight really his last?
Frankie Edgar retired from the UFC after UFC 268 at age 40. He had 28 UFC bouts, three UFC title fights, and a former UFC lightweight title to his name. The Marlon Vera front-kick KO was his fifth consecutive UFC loss and the formal close of his career. He has remained one of the most respected fighters of his era — a former lightweight champion, longtime featherweight title contender, and the man who once outpointed BJ Penn for the lightweight belt in 2010.
Did Usman defend the title again?
Once. Usman defended successfully one more time, against Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in August 2022. He was winning the fight on all three cards entering round five when Edwards landed a head-kick KO with 50 seconds left in the fight. Usman has not won a UFC bout since. The trilogy with Edwards at UFC 286 in March 2023 was a majority decision loss for Usman. He remains the most decorated welterweight champion of the post-Georges St-Pierre era.
How does UFC 268 compare to UFC 267?
UFC 268 drew approximately 700,000 PPV buys versus UFC 267 (400,000) seven days earlier — a 75% jump reflecting the Madison Square Garden venue, the deeper card, and the marquee value of two American-favoured title fights. UFC 268's gate of $9.4 million was the second-highest of 2021 (behind only UFC 264 at $10.1 million).
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