Can Robbie Lawler cease Colby Covington’s hunt for a title shot?
Up to now 14 months, Colby Covington has received an interim UFC title, visited the president of america on the White Home and confronted the undisputed champion of his weight class in a crowded Las Vegas buffet line. (Google it if you do not know the story.)
One factor he has but to do, nonetheless, is definitely battle for the UFC’s undisputed 170-pound belt.
That is the most important story going into Saturday’s UFC Struggle Evening principal occasion in Newark, New Jersey. Can Covington (14-1), the polarizing but undeniably worthy title contender, keep his place on the head of the road in opposition to the welterweight division’s bogeyman, Robbie Lawler (28-13)?
The title image within the welterweight division ought to clear up when the UFC hits Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday. In the primary occasion, high contender Colby Covington takes on former champion Robbie Lawler, with a title shot doubtless subsequent for Covington ought to he earn a victory.
UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Lawler
• Saturday, Newark, N.J.
• Prelims: ESPN, midday ET
• Foremost card: ESPN, three p.m. ET
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It has been practically two years since Covington actually turned up the amount on his heel shtick, doing his greatest to offend the whole nation of Brazil earlier than a battle in opposition to Demian Maia. Whether or not that gimmick has helped Covington enhance his lot within the welterweight division is debatable.
Sure, he received an interim title final 12 months, but it surely did not lead to a shot at the true crown. The UFC finally stripped Covington of the interim title and gave the shot to another person. That is a perceived mistaken that Covington will look to proper on Saturday.
As for Lawler, he might need a couple of wrongs of his personal to proper. Lawler was once related to American Prime Staff, the identical Florida coaching camp as Covington’s, however left in 2017. Lawler has been comparatively quiet on why he left, however the cut up didn’t look like significantly amicable.
A welterweight title shot is on the road for at the very least half of Saturday’s headline matchup (it is a matinee, uncommon for a U.S.-based occasion, with a three p.m. ET begin for the primary card). And even when Lawler cannot safe a shot for himself, he can spoil a long-awaited one for his former crew.
ESPN Stats & Info
By the numbers
three: Welterweights who’ve landed 1,000 or extra vital strikes, in accordance with UFC Stats. Lawler (1,007) is third on the checklist, behind Georges St-Pierre (1,254) and Thiago Alves (1,057).
1 Associated
420: Days it can have been on Saturday since Covington’s final battle. That is the longest span between fights in his UFC profession.
Zero: Cases throughout Lawler’s 42-fight profession during which he has misplaced 3 times in a row. He’s on a two-fight skid.
48: Takedowns landed within the UFC by Covington, which in accordance with UFC Stats is essentially the most amongst lively 170-pounders and fifth most in UFC welterweight historical past.
71: Proportion of Lawler’s victories which have come by KO or TKO (20 of 28). In contrast, Covington’s previous 4 wins have come by resolution.
Supply: ESPN Stats & Info
A glance again
Temp job: Colby Covington has an interim belt wrapped round his waist by UFC president Dana White after his win over Rafael dos Anjos in June 2018, however the title could be stripped inside three months. Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty Pictures
5 vs. 5
Colby Covington’s most up-to-date outcomes
Robbie Lawler’s most up-to-date outcomes
Combating phrases
“In case you go ask anyone on the road proper now about any welterweight — who’s the larger identify, Robbie Lawler or Kamaru Usman?” –Covington, talking to ESPN, evaluating his opponent to the 170-pound champion. (Covington insists Lawler is larger, calling him “a legend.”)
Movie research
Get your popcorn and luxuriate in one of many best fights in UFC historical past:
Want convincing? This is an iconic picture from the 2015 basic:
Robbie Lawler’s first UFC welterweight title protection, in 2015, became an all-time basic, with a bloodied Lawler, left, prevailing over a battered Rory MacDonald. Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Getty Pictures
And the winner is …
I am going with the upset right here. Covington is favored to win, for good cause. He has been excellent within the UFC for greater than three years now, and his tenacious wrestling-heavy type gives a tricky matchup in a five-round battle. However one thing tells me Lawler will discover his opening sooner or later, and he wants just one. — Okamoto
Brett Okamoto’s choose: Lawler through second-round TKO.
Ready within the wings
Kamaru Usman, after all. Earlier this month, the welterweight champion watched with curiosity as Jorge Masvidal starched Ben Askren in 5 seconds and immediately turned a contender. On Saturday, Usman will get to see whether or not Covington can seize again the title shot that is been dangled in entrance of him.
What to observe for (past the primary occasion)
A decade with not a loss between them
Claudio Silva is 13-1 and has not misplaced a battle since his skilled MMA debut in 2007 — and that defeat was a disqualification for an unlawful elbow.
The Brazilian welterweight’s run of victories features a 2014 win over Leon Edwards, whose solely different UFC loss got here in opposition to Usman, now reigning as champion.
Silva’s opponent, Cole Williams, is 11-1 and final was defeated in 2009. The 35-year-old from Dubuque, Iowa, is making his UFC debut.
Not dangerous credentials for an early prelim.
Even earlier, even higher: A battle of unbeatens
Opening the present on the Prudential Middle is a gathering of undefeated prospects each making their UFC debuts.
Hannah Goldy, a 27-year-old combating out of Tampa, Florida, is 5-Zero, simply final month making an impression on Dana White’s Contender Collection.
Miranda Granger, additionally 27, is from Washington state. Her file is 6-Zero, with all of her wins coming by end, together with 5 first-round submissions.
Each ladies have competed as strawweights, however this battle is at flyweight.
The co-main occasion: A ’59-piece and a soda’?
ESPN Stats & Info
The co-main serves up fairly a combo: Jim Miller and Clay Guida. Go right here to take a look at extra particulars about how their numbers add as much as a ton of UFC historical past.
Are you up in your African trivia?
Kennedy Nzechukwu, who faces gentle heavyweight Darko Stosic within the opening bout of the primary card, fights out of Fortis MMA in Dallas, however his nickname, “African Savage,” is an homage to his roots in Imo State, Nigeria.
As an African, nonetheless, Nzechukwu has a distinction he absolutely might do with out: In keeping with ESPN Stats & Info, he’s the one lively UFC fighter from Nigeria with a loss contained in the Octagon. The others on the roster who’re from his homeland: welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (10-Zero within the UFC), middleweight interim champ Israel Adesanya (6-Zero) and featherweight Sodiq Yusuff (2-Zero).
Nzechukwu (6-1 total) misplaced his UFC debut to Paul Craig in March after incomes a contract on White’s Contender Collection.