Beatdown Breakdown: UFC 272
A Weekend Recap
Over the past weekend, Las Vegas, Nevada lay home to another UFC pay-per-view: UFC 272. The headliner for this card was set to be a firecracker. The classic story of friends turned foes on full display as number 6 ranked Welterweight Jorge Masvidal took on former sparring partner and best friend Colby Covington in a 5 round technical masterclass. As always however, there are always fights before the main event as with all pay-per-views and this boy this one featured some heavy hitters… so let’s dive straight in!
Sergey Spivak def. Greg Hardy
Coming into this opener, we have a heavyweight banger. A fledgling Greg Hardy crosses paths with a submission specialist in Sergey Spivak. Simply put, this fight was a showcase of the different levels in MMA. To excel at this sport, you must be well-rounded in all facets of martial arts, and Greg Hardy certainly isn’t. Clearly reliant on his power, as shown by his 20 pound weight advantage over Spivak, the former NFL defensive end had a linear path to victory, which if disrupted would mean his demise. And to no-ones surprise here, Spivak utilised his superior grappling and takedown offense to nullify this and put the bout in his favour. After a minute of struggle, Spivak’s dominance was too much for Hardy as he succumbed to a torrent of ground and pound.
Result: Sergey Spivak via TKO RD 1 02:16
Kevin Holland def. Alex Olivera
This one was definitely one to watch. With one of the most hyped prospects of the sport making his Welterweight debut, the UFC seems to have gone the usual route of giving him a declining veteran who could in theory, still put up a fight in Alex “Cowboy” Olivera. With the Brazilian on a 3-fight skid, this was almost a guaranteed win for Holland on his way to re-climb the ladder, albeit in a new division. The only semblance of uncertainty when it came to Trailblazer’s path to victory would be his grasp with Olivera’s power, and to that, he passed the test. After clearly surviving a close submission attempt and some powerful shots to the head, this fight was a showcase of the unpredictability of the sport. Catching Olivera on his way in, it was all but lights out for Cowboy as Holland snatches this one after being a round down.
Result: Kevin Holland via TKO RD 2 00:38
Bryce Mitchell def. Edson Barboza
The camo shorts of Bryce Mitchell are back, and so is Edson Barboza. Number 11 vs Number 10. Vet vs young gun. You knew this one is going to be good, and it delivered! 17 months out of the Octagon, Mitchell is looking to utilise his brilliant submission game into the relative power and pace of Barboza. One lesson you’ll quickly learn when it comes to the UFC is that you never count out the heart of Brazilian fighters. Despite the complete domination coming from Mitchell, the toughness shown by Barboza is something to be commended… and this toughness is something I’d like to circle back on later into the card… But for now, a 100% of takedowns completed by Thug Nasty sees to an “easy” unanimous decision for the Arkansas native.
Result: Bryce Mitchell via UD RD 3 05:00
Rafael dos Anjos def. Renato Moicano
A fight which may not have happened at all promptly delivered one that was memorable for the right reasons. With Rafael Fiziev out due to COVID, Renato Moicano stepped up on 4 days notice to fight at 160, or catchweight with dos Anjos agreeing to the deal. Over 5 rounds, as expected, we saw the more conditioned and frankly, the fighter who actually HAD a training camp totally and utterly destroy their adversary both on the feet, and on the ground. However, it was Moicano’s willingness to take this punishment and still move forward which, while called into question both the referee’s decision to let the beating go on as well as his coaches’ decision to not throw in the towel, showed the true heart and grit of the Brazilian. As the fight dragged on, dos Anjos, clearly shocked at the state of affairs, took his foot off the gas as a show of respect to his fellow countryman. Brilliant stuff all around for a thrilling Co-Main Event of the night.
Result: Rafael dos Anjos via UD RD 5 05:00
Colby Covington def. Jorge Masvidal
And we’re finally here. The classic storyline is about to play out of former friends turned foe, and the beef was about to be settled in what could be described as a sanctioned street fight. At least, that’s what it was billed (unofficially) as. The number 1 ranked Welterweight in the world vs. arguably the gamest motherf***er in the entire organisation, this one was only to end in either one of two ways — either a stand and bang till the death or, unfortunately, for us, a technical showdown between an all-American wrestler who utilised his superiority against a literal street fighter who’s ground game is his weakest part of his arsenal. The patented Chaos pressure was simply too much for Gamebred, who after the second round was seen welting as Covington slowly but surely chipped away, earning his keep as the seconds kept on ticking. Although he is extremely divisive, and I mean *extremely divisive* amongst the fanbase, after this showing, Covington has clearly carved out a permanent spot behind the champion, Kamaru Usman and has cemented himself clearly out in front of his competitors as the second in line for the belt.
Result: Colby Covington via UD RD5 05:00
Thus, after another brilliant handful of fights, the night ends with Covington coming out on top in a heated rivalry with Masvidal; a memorable Co-Main between fellow countrymen; A few veterans being outclassed by up and comers; and finally, an absolute belter at the start of the card too.
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