Kamaru Usman would retain his title following an absolute war with Colby Covington, defeating the former interim champion via TKO in the fifth round.
The main event of UFC 245 was a grudge match that had been brewing for a while. Brash, controversial, trash-talking Colby Covington was finally getting his title shot against Kamaru Usman. To be fair to Covington, perhaps the least popular figure in the UFC at the moment, he’d been chasing the title since it was held by Tyron Woodley — and a shot at the undisputed title was long overdue for the former interim champion.
Kamaru Usman, for his part, was looking to secure the first defense of his title reign. Usman, at the forefront of a wave of high-level fighters of African heritage, had won all ten of his UFC bouts prior to Saturday night.
Usman opened with a big headkick that just missed, right as the USA chants came in. Usman landed a short right hand, but Colby kept spamming the left hand. Usman landed another clean right hand, and they were both landing great. Covington landed a good left hand and Usman landed a big knee. Covington hurt Usman with another left and he kept landing it! Usman landed a knee in the clinch and looked recovered. Usman ripped to the body and Colby dropped his hands; both looked incredible in the first round. Colby went for a flying knee and missed, Usman landed to the body. An incredible first round for both fighters.
Usman landed to the body to start the second round, and Colby countered with some offense of his own. Usman led with a jab that was landing and landed a front kick to the body. Colby landed a right hand that staggered Usman, but Usman recovered quickly. They both traded jabs for a minute, and Colby went back to firing that left hand. Both men were landing incredibly high volume as Colby went downstairs and landed a kick to the groin. Colby disagreed with the call, but Usman only took a minute to recover before getting right back into action. Usman landed a shot to the body that may have hurt Colby. But he would see the third round.
Usman opened that frame with a kick to the body, then a knee. The pace slowed down drastically, but Usman was taking the round. He started landing upstairs with the right hand clean, and the body shots he was landing on Colby were looking to have an effect. Colby was struggling to push Usman in the third, and that’s when he pulled off a classic heel move, an eye rake. Colby poked Usman in the eyes and had to be pulled off of him, though the fight would continue after a brief break. Usman then landed a big right hand in the final seconds of the round, and Colby would complain about an eyepoke. In between rounds, Colby would tell his corner that he thought he broke his jaw.
Usman landed to the body with a stabbing front kick to start the fourth round. They would start swinging for the fences before settling down into being more composed. Colby’s face was becoming a mess, as he was bleeding on an one entire side. Colby landed a big uppercut and Usman just ate it. Covington followed up with a big combo upstairs, and Usman returned fire. Usman dug to the body and followed up with a right hand. Usman landed a straight right hand, and Colby complained of an eyepoke then trash talked Usman. Marc Goddard then scolded the two for their behavior and told them to keep it together. That would be near the end of the round, and we would go onto the fifth in an absolute classic.
In the fifth, Usman went upstairs with a kick but Colby blocked, if his jaw was broke he wasn’t showing it. Colby landed some nice strikes, but Usman ate them. Colby went for the flying knee and came up way short. Usman took his foot off the pedal briefly, but it appeared that he was saving his energy for the final minute. Usman landed a combination that stunned Colby, and Covington was hurt bad. Usman’s right hand was landing perfectly, and he dropped Colby with a clean one. He dropped Colby again and Colby would cover it up and the referee would wave it off! Colby would complain but it was a good stoppage, he was hurt bad.
Usman with the statement finish against Covington 🤫 #UFC245 pic.twitter.com/ZbSnFZsbFJ
— Perry Aston (@perryaston) December 15, 2019
Usman wins the grudge match and retains his title. But it’s hard to think that we’ve seen the last of Colby Covington.
Official Result: Kamaru Usman defeats Colby Covington via TKO (4:10) of Round Five.
