The biggest night of the year. Madison Square Garden. New York City. The best athletes on the planet take center stage as UFC 268 showcases 2 world title fights and some of the best stylistic matchups you can make in this sport.
Kamaru Usman (-320) vs #1 Colby Covington (+250) for the Welterweight championship of the world. This rematch is a couple years in the making. Their first fight was one of the best of the year and an all time welterweight title fight. Can Colby Covington SHOCK the world tonight? It’s entirely possible. My thoughts? I see Usman winning this in the 3rd or 4th. He’s at such a high level right now. He’s at the highest level there is possibly is in athletics. And Colby is no slouch, if it weren’t for Kamaru, I think Colby could probably beat anyone and be the world champ. But Kamaru is just that good. He’s one of the best athletes we will ever see on the planet. This could be a war. And I believe we’ll see a special fight.
In the co-main event we have Rose Namajunes (+105) vs #1 Weili Zhang (-125) for the Strawweight championship of the world. When these 2 met in April, it ended quickly and in DRAMATIC fashion as Rose once again shocked the world. And here she is again going in as the underdog.
THUG ROSE ‼️
Rose Namajunas wins the strawweight title with a head kick#UFC261
(via @ufc)pic.twitter.com/6q0UOJNh15
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 25, 2021
Im FULLY in on Rose here. I think she has the mental advantage going in. That’s going to be a big factor. I can see this being fight of the night. I see this being a dog war. I think Rose will be able to get the late finish in the 4th either via KO or Submission and MSG will blow the ROOF off the place. THUG ROSE!
For the 3rd biggest fight of the night, it will OPEN the main card on PPV. I mean this really might be the best opener of a main card in UFC history. This is the odds on favorite for fight of the night and the winner is likely to receive a world championship fight.
#2 Justin Gaethje (-210) vs #4 Michael Chandler (+175) in a BARN BURNER of a Lightweight fight. Im honestly stunned that the odds are where they are right now. This is a pick em in every way. Which is a good way of saying the + money here is really hard to pass up. I don’t know whats going to happen here. I lean Gaethje. He was sooo good against Tony Ferguson and If that Justin shows up, Chandler is going to get slept. I believe they meet in the middle and throw until someone goes to sleep. The crowd is going to be NUTS for this one.
We get chills remembering what @MikeChandlerMMA told @MMAjunkieRadio back in August 2020 before he even joined the UFC.
Chandler vs. Gaethje is tomorrow, folks. Just one more sleep! #UFC268 pic.twitter.com/DogU1f7BTk
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) November 6, 2021
The 2 other fights on the main card are great matchups. #8 Frankie Edgar +140 vs #13 Marlon Vera -160 is a great matchup in the best division int he sport. I love Frankie’s plus money here. I think this matchup greatly favors him stylistically and he’ll be able to impose his ground game on Chito.
#14 Shane Burgos -200 vs Billy Quarantillo +170 in the featherweight division is greatly flying under the radar here. I don’t hate Billy Q’s odds here. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him pull off the W here. It’s going to be a tough matchup for him but im confident Billy Q can pull off the upset here as well.
Some MAJOR UFC Debuts are happening on the prelims.
Alex Pereira is one of the best kickboxers in the world and has SLEPT the great Israel Adesanya. If he can pull of some spectacular KO’s, he will be pushed to a title shot within 1.5-2 years and maybe even less. Be on the lookout as Pereira makes his Octagon debut.
Ireland’s Ian Garry grew up watching Conor McGregor. This welterweight has the tools to be great. He’s 23 years old so it will take some time. But he has the confidence of the old Irishman we all know and loved. I’m very intrigued to see how he looks in his first fight under the bright lights of MSG.
"I am the generation @TheNotoriousMMA inspired, now I'm here."
"He became a double champ in this arena, I'm making my debut… It's historical."@iangarryMMA took a stroll around the iconic Central Park with @Peety_Editor ahead of his UFC debut 🇮🇪#UFC268 pic.twitter.com/6bB4C3utDF
— UFC on BT Sport (@btsportufc) November 5, 2021
Im high on Edmen Shabazyan’s and Al Iaquinta’s plus money on the prelims as well. Great way to make some cash for a couple of fighters people are doubting going into tonight.
Overall, this is one of if not the biggest night of the year. Im so excited and nervous. What do you think happens tonight? Title changes, upsets, KO’s? This could be one of the books as you never know what’s going to go down in the spectacle that is Madison Square Garden.
