Masvidal-Covington Carrying the Brunt of Excitement for UFC 272

A grudge match between the welterweight contenders highlights a 272 card that lacks a spark otherwise.

UFC 272 is built entirely around its main event, which has the potential to be explosive–or a massive disappointment.

Premier welterweight contenders Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington meet in a grudge match to settle long-standing issues. While some of the back-and-forth is contrived (I’m jaded, I suppose, from my years covering pro wrestling), there is a big-enough kernel of truth in their frustrations with each other to make this legitimate. Yet even with a compelling backstory, they also need to deliver in the cage. That will not be the case if Covington pins Masvidal against the cage for 25 minutes. Though that could be a successful pathway to victory for Covington, it would lead to an extremely boring fight.

There are also questions about the rest of the card. Without a title fight, 272 is lacking a certain excitement. Perhaps that will change if Sergey Spivak puts Greg Hardy to sleep, or if Bryce Mitchell can pick up the biggest win of his career against Edson Barboza. Had Islam Makhachev returned to the cage a week after dismantling Bobby Green, it would have added a whole new air of anticipation currently missing from 272. There will be no mistaking Makhachev with Renato Moicano, a talented fighter but not one likely to steal the show in his bout against Rafael dos Anjos.

As we look deeper at the card, here are some of the more pressing questions and issues surrounding 272:

What is at stake for Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington?

With or without the ceremonial BMF title, this bout represents a chance for both fighters to stay relevant atop the welterweight rankings.

Covington is currently the top-ranked welterweight contender. If he piles up two or three consecutive victories, he will instantly insert himself back into title contention. A win would also be incredibly meaningful for Masvidal, who would create chaos in the division if he knocks out Covington.

Neither fighter is on Kamaru Usman’s list of potential upcoming opponents. But that can begin to change with a convincing win at 272.

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Does Islam Makhachev’s absence from UFC 272 open a window for Conor McGregor to receive a title shot at the lightweight championship? And how does that affect the 272 card?

Let’s tackle this one in reverse order. There will be some entertaining fights at 272 but at a cost. The card lacks a title bout as well as any sort of significant stakes.

The opener is Sergey Spivak against Greg Hardy, which will fire up the crowd if Hardy is knocked out. Neither Spivak nor Hardy is anywhere near title contention, and even a convincing victory by either won’t change that. In addition to the main event, the second welterweight bout on the card is Kevin Holland against Alex Oliveira. It would be a shock if Holland fails to pick up the win here, which would be his first since December 2020. Oliveira is moving in the wrong direction, dropping his past three fights, and he is about to suffer his fourth loss in a row.

The potential for some real excitement exists in the Edson Barboza–Bryce Mitchell featherweight bout. This is a gift-wrapped opportunity for the undefeated Mitchell to collect his 15th straight victory and start his climb through the top 10 of the rankings, beginning with Barboza, who is No. 10. But this is an extremely tough task. Mitchell does not hold a victory against anyone near the skill level of Barboza. Unless Barboza has aged in dog years since the Shane Burgos fight from last May, when he looked outstanding, then he is going to give Mitchell an introduction to the Octagon that he has otherwise yet to receive.

The co-main was initially scheduled to be Rafael dos Anjos against Rafael Fiziev, but that was called off once Fiziev tested positive for COVID-19. There was a shot at generating some real electricity for 272 by having Islam Makhachev return to the cage after fighting just last Saturday. Makhachev dominated Bobby Green, and a clash against dos Anjos could have been spectacular. UFC president Dana White said that Makhachev turned down the offer—which is hugely disappointing for fight fans.

And all that brings us to Conor McGregor. White also revealed that Makhachev’s next opponent will be Beneil Dariush, who he was originally supposed to fight last week before Dariush missed due to injury. Would Makhachev have been more likely to receive a title shot had he taken this bout? It’s tough to answer with certainty, as there was no guarantee he would have defeated dos Anjos. That all opens the door for someone to challenge lightweight champion Charles Oliveira. Though he has certainly not earned a title shot through recent victories, it suddenly appears that McGregor now has a real shot at getting a title shot. There are more deserving fighters, but no one who possesses the name value of McGregor.

Unfortunately for the 272 pay-per-view, more excitement exists away from it than it does on the card.

What does Joe Rogan’s return to the broadcast booth mean for UFC 272?

Dana White confirmed to Barstool Sports’ Robbie Fox that the wildly popular Joe Rogan will return to the broadcast team for UFC 272.

Despite being available, Rogan was not part of the call during last month’s UFC 271 event on ESPN+. Multiple sources close to the situation revealed to Sports Illustrated that it was ESPN executives who made the call to remove Rogan from that broadcast, cautiously applying a wait-and-see approach regarding how the controversial Rogan news cycle would evolve. While much of the headlines have quieted, Rogan continues to hold an enormous reach with his audience. Bringing him back is a smart choice for the UFC, particularly considering an overwhelming number of their fighters want him on headset.

Beyond a passing word, it is unlikely that Rogan’s absence from 271 will be discussed. He does share incredible rapport with play-by-play man Jon Anik, so a slight possibility exists that it could be discussed on the air but not anything at length.

Who will cut the better postfight promo: Covington or Masvidal?

Masvidal is one of the most compelling interviews in the sport. If he wins, the crowd in Las Vegas will be hanging on his every word. It is not out of the realm of possibility that he would call out McGregor, and he would undoubtedly lay into Covington for his unethical marketing tactics.

If Covington wins, expect his typical rhetoric. Covington rarely strays from this character he has manufactured, though there was a momentary slip up when he and Usman exchanged words of respect to each other after their five-round bout last November. Covington isn’t getting another shot at Usman anytime soon, so, if he wins, the object of his attention will be Dustin Poirier.

Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.