The rematch between UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington is set for UFC 268, with a targeted date of November 06 and location of Madison Square Garden in New York.
The rematch between UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington is set for UFC 268 on what has been reported to be November 06. Though no location has been confirmed, the UFC is looking to secure Madison Square Garden in New York. ESPN was first to report the news of the fight. Cageside Press broke news of the planned date for the card earlier this week.
Kamaru Usman will meet Colby Covington in a welterweight title rematch at UFC 268 in November, Dana White told @bokamotoESPN.
The date and location are not finalized yet, but UFC is hoping for the fight to headline Madison Square Garden. pic.twitter.com/nqVAjgogO4
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 26, 2021
UFC President Dana White has held firm since April that former title challenger Covington would be the next challenger for Usman’s title despite competition from surging contender Leon Edwards who has gone 10 fights without a loss and the return of popular contender Nate Diaz.
Usman enters the bout looking to complete a Fighter of the Year campaign with second round finishes of top contenders Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal already in the calendar year. “The Nigerian Nightmare” currently rides a 20 fight win-streak and is widely regarded as one of the best fighters pound-for-pound in the world today.
Covington is regarded as one of the top welterweights in the world and pushed Usman to the limit in a back-and-forth contest back in 2019. Covington bounced back last year with a throttling performance of longtime former champion Tyron Woodley and has maintained a stance that he is deserving of another shot at the belt without needing to take another bout since then.
The UFC has not been in New York since UFC 244 in November of 2019. As more major cities have begun to reopen amidst the coronavirus pandemic, New York’s status as one of the biggest markets in the United States has made it a major target to return to as soon as possible. Recently, pro-wrestling company AEW held an event at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center (home of the US Open tennis tournament) and the WWE has scheduled an event at Madison Square Garden for September 10.
No further details on the undercard have been made official at this time.
