UFC 268 Preview: Two title rematches headline MSG

Set to be one of the biggest cards of the year, Madison Square Garden will play host to UFC 268 in the MMA leader’s return to the Big Apple.

The main event will see a rematch between dominant welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and rival contender Colby Covington. 115lb queen Rose Namajunas will look to defend her title against former titleholder Weili Zhang in the co-main event.

Let’s take a closer look at this card!

(c) Kamaru Usman (19-1) vs (#1) Colby Covington (15-2) – UFC welterweight championship bout

The 2019 instant classic between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington will be ran back, once again for the 170lb strap.

Having picked up 3 further title defenses since finishing Covington at UFC 245, Kamaru Usman sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings – and for good reason. The champion’s KO power and striking ability has been discovered and honed by coach Trevor Wittman, adding to his nightmarish wrestling pedigree. Riding the longest win-streak in welterweight history, a second win over Covington will put ‘The Nigerian Nightmare‘ in all-time great discussions.

Despite his inactivity, Colby Covington remains one of the most talked-about personalities in the MMA world. This is not just for his brash and outlandish personality, mind you. The Oregon native uses exceptional cardio and wrestling to beat on his opponents, and has also began to use his striking more effectively in recent fights. ‘Chaos‘ is dead-set on getting revenge, so don’t underestimate him coming into UFC 268.

(c) Rose Namajunas (11-4) vs (#1) Zhang Weili – UFC strawweight championship bout

The strawweight title will be on the line once again when Rose Namajunas and Weili Zhang rematch in UFC 268’s co-main event.

Reclaiming her title with a stunning KO, it looks like champion Rose Namajunas is finally in prime form, mentally and physically. Her striking has continued to evolve over the course of her career, with a lethal submission game in her back pocket. ‘Thug Rose‘ was able to dispatch of her opponent inside of one round last time out, but can she do it again at UFC 268? She certainly thinks so, and it’s hard to doubt her.

Having lost her title at the hands of Namajunas in April, former champ Weili Zhang is determined to bring the gold back to China. Well-rounded is an understatement for Zhang – her striking pressure coupled with her quick submissions make her tricky everywhere. Now with decorated former champions in her corner, ‘Magnum‘ is prepared for everything the fight may throw at her.

(#2) Justin Gaethje (22-3) vs (#4) Michael Chandler (22-6) – lightweight bout

Oh boy, here we bloody go.

Sitting on the sidelines since his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov, former interim champion Justin Gaethje was waiting for the right opponent to jump back in against. Now that he has found one, he has promised to bring back the violent, reckless style that made him a fan-favourite. With some of the most powerful kicks and punches at 155lbs, ‘The Highlight‘ could make short work of Chandler.

Although he came up short in his vacant championship fight against Charles Oliveira, former Bellator titleholder Michael Chandler has stayed relevant in the 155lb title discussion. Carrying power in both hands and a background in wrestling – not dissimilar from Gaethje – he’s more than capable of taking out any contender in his division. A win over Gaethje could place ‘Iron‘ Mike back in line to fight for the belt again.

(#13) Shane Burgos (13-3) vs Billy Quarantillo (16-3) – featherweight bout

Featherweight fan-favourites Shane Burgos and Billy Quarantillo will try to blow the roof off of MSG when they fight on the line card.

Consistently staying in the top 15 at 145lbs for 2 years now, Shane Burgos has the skills to take out any contender in his division. His fast hands and iron chin have led him to wins over the likes of Makwan Amirkhani, Charles Rosa and Cub Swanson. Getting back in the win column will put ‘Hurricane‘ Shane in a great position going into 2022.

Not cracking the top 15 yet, Billy Quarantillo has been on the edge of the ranked featherweight since 2020. The former professional boxer has displayed both his power and his wrestling in wins over Spike Carlyle, Kyle Nelson and Gabriel Benitez. If he get a win over a ranked opponent in Burgos, he could be a force to be reckoned with next year.

(#8) Frankie Edgar (23-9-1) vs (#13) Marlon Vera (19-7-1) – bantamweight bout

It’s a clash of top 15 bantamweight when Frankie Edgar and Marlon Vera face off on the main card.

A former champion now fighting two weight classes below where he held the belt, there is few fighters more universally loved than Frankie Edgar. The New Jersey native has been dazzling crowds with his combination of boxing and wrestling styles. Though seemingly in the twilight of his illustrious career, ‘The Answer‘ is a dangerous matchup for anyone at 135lbs.

On the cusp of contendership for almost 5 years now, it looks like Marlon ‘Chito‘ Vera has his chance to break into the top 10 at bantamweight. The Ecuadorian striker has continued to improve throughout his UFC tenure, with his last two victories coming against Sean O’Malley and Davey Grant. If ‘Chito‘ can come up large at MSG, we’ll see his name etched into a top contender spot at 135lbs soon.

Andreas Michailidis (13-4) vs Alex Pereira (3-1) – middleweight bout

Greek grappler Andreas Michailidis will look to give former GLORY Kickboxing champion Alex Pereira a rude welcome to the UFC in the featured prelim.

The man looking to spoil Pereira’s welcome party is Andreas Michailidis. The Greek fighter is a brown belt in BJJ with 7 knockouts in his 13 wins, which introduces a difficult stylistic test for his opponents. Should he pick up a win at UFC 268 on Saturday, expect to see Michailidis in more high-profile fights in future.

Already 3-0 in MMA, former GLORYmiddleweight and light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is one of the most talked-about prospects right now. As many know, he holds the distinction as the only man to have a KO win over UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya. The Brazilian Pereira has already shown that he is capable of taking people out in MMA, but can he cut it in the UFC?

Al Iaquinta (14-6-1) vs Bobby Green (27-12-1) – lightweight bout

Two savvy lightweight vets in Al Iaquinta and Bobby Green are set to close the prelims in a fun one expexted to be a barnburner.

Sidelined for over 2 years due to injuries and the ongoing pandemic, Long Island’s Al Iaquinta has been thoroughly missed by MMA fans. Hoping to break back into the top 5, the New Yorker brings heavy hands and a never-say-die attitude into the Octagon every time out. Expect ‘Ragin‘ Al to come back with a vengeance, looking for the finish.

Making a strong account of himself against top 15 contender Rafael Fiziev in his last outing, veteran Bobby Green still has the skills to pay the bills. The 35 year old has used unorthodox striking with improving grappling to take opponents out in the UFC since 2013. ‘King‘ Green consistently takes the hardest fights available, and for that, we applaud him. It’s not unfair to expect another great show from him at UFC 268.

(#11) Edmen Shahbazyan (11-2) vs Nassourdine Imavov (10-3) – middleweight bout

Top 15 contender Edmen Shahbazyan will look to get back to winning ways against the streaking Nassourdine Imavov.

Despite dropping his last two to Derek Brunson and Jack Hermansson, young Edmen Shahbazyan still has buckets of potential. At 23 years old, the striking specialist has plenty of time ahead of him to improve and keep collecting KO wins. If he finds himself on the winning side of a finish this weekend, expect to see him back in the top 10.

Another young prospect getting a lot of attention at 185lbs is Nassourdine Imavov. The Frenchman has an 80% finish rate in 10 wins, most recently picking up an upset KO over Ian Heinisch. The 26 year old has the chance to break into the top 15 with a win this weekend, so expect him to put his best foot forward.

Ian Garry (7-0) vs Jordan Williams (9-5) – welterweight bout

Ireland’s Ian Garry is looking to take the UFC by storm, but first, he has to fend off Contender Series alum Jordan Williams.

Joining the UFC as the reigning Cage Warriors champion, Ian Garry is the biggest prospect to come from Ireland in years. 5 finishes in his 7 wins have seen him put away the best that Cage Warriors’ welterweight had to offer. ‘The Future‘ is set to make waves at 170lbs, and he’s dead set to begin at UFC 268.

Punching his UFC ticket with a first round KO of Gregory Rodrigues, Californian Jordan Williams hasn’t yet found his footing in the Octagon. Having been a former middleweight, his best chance at winning his to use his size and pressure to smother his more green opponent. If he can turn back the much-hyped Garry, it will do wonders for the career of ‘Bomaye‘.

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What do you make of the card? Who’ll walk away with championship gold? Let us know in the comments!