The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada tonight for UFC 272: “Covington vs Masvidal.” The event was headlined by a welterweight grudge match between former teammates turned rivals Colby “Chaos” Covington and Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal.

In the 160-pound co-main event, Rafael dos Anjos took on short-notice replacement opponent Renato “Moicano” Carneiro. Elsewhere on the main card, Edson Barboza faced off against Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell at featherweight. MMARising.com has live play-by-play for the UFC 272 card.

 

Colby “Chaos” Covington vs Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal

Round 1:
Masvidal struck first with a powerful leg kick and Covington immediately switched stances. He stepped forward with a punch and poked Masvidal in the eye, but it went undetected and Covington took Masvidal’s back. He dragged him down twice and attempted a rear-naked choke. Masvidal turned into the choke attempts to prevent Covington from being able to get his bicep under the chin. Covington moved to S-mount and he landed short punches before passing to full mount. Masvidal exploded out from the bottom and he stood up against the cage. Masvidal landed a kick to the body and one to the outside of Covington’s left leg. 10-9 Covington.

Round 2:
Covington slipped while throwing a head kick to begin the second round and Masvidal chopped away at his legs with two kicks after Covington stood back up. Masvidal landed a kick to the body and Covington shot in for a takedown. Masvidal stayed up against the cage and he threw elbows to the side of Covington’s head. Time was called when Covington kneed Masvidal in the groin. Action continued after 30 seconds and Covington became wild with his punches. He clinched, but Masvidal countered with a knee and a right hook on the break, which opened a cut above Covington’s left eye. Masvidal swept out Covington’s leg with a kick and he tried to take top position on the ground. Covington scrambled up to his knees and took Masvidal’s back. Masvidal turned into the clinch and pushed him away. Covington jabbed and clinched against the fence again. Masvidal pushed him away and he landed a four-punch flurry. Two left hooks from Covington elicited a smile from Masvidal before the bell. 10-9 Masvidal due to damage.

Round 3:
Covington took the fight to the mat early in round three and he went to work with punches and elbows to Masvidal’s face. He continued to punch to the head and body as Masvidal threw punches from the bottom and tried to scramble up to his feet. Covington kept him down and he briefly passed to side control. Masvidal got back to half-guard and Covington transitioned from a kimura attempt to a face crank from back control. He switched to a neck crank, but Masvidal spun free and nearly took top position. Covington scrambled and moved to Masvidal’s back again, where he remained until Masvidal stood up with ten seconds to go. Masvidal landed a hard left hand before the bell. 10-9 Covington. Could be a 10-8 due to the control time.

Round 4:
The fourth round began with Masvidal landed kicks to Covington’s lead leg and body. Covington landed a left-right combo and clinched. Masvidal was able to push him away once, but Covington landed a nice combination and a hard uppercut before clinching again. When the fighters separated, Covington stunned Masvidal with a left hook and a head kick. He teed off with hooks and uppercuts as Masvidal covered up against the cage. Masvidal weathered the storm and broke away with an elbow, then dropped Covington to a knee with a right hook. A wobbly Covington got back to his feet and Masvidal failed to follow up. Covington became the aggressor again and he punched his way into another clinch. Masvidal pushed him away and grazed with a spinning back kicklate in the round. 10-9 Covington despite the partial knockdown.

Round 5:
Covington dragged Masvidal down to the mat and took partial back control while hunting for a rear-naked choke. Masvidal stood up against the cage and Covington kneed him in the thigh. He opened a cut on Masvidal’s forehead with short right hands and pulled him back down again. Covington maintained back control and alternated between punches and rear-naked choke attempts. Masvidal could not get back to his feet and he was forced to fend off more choke attempts from Covington. In the final minute, Covington transitioned to mount. He moved to the back again and had Masvidal in some trouble with a face crank. Masvidal rolled over and gave up mount, and the fight ended with Covington striking from the top. 10-8 Covington.

Winner: Colby Covington by Unanimous Decision (50-44, 50-45, 49-46) after five rounds. He improves to 17-3-0.

 

Rafael dos Anjos vs Renato “Moicano” Carneiro

Round 1:
Carneiro was aggressive early in the fight, but dos Anjos countered with a brief takedown and he followed with a more emphatic one soon after that put Carneiro on the mat against the base of the cage. Dos Anjos initially worked from side control with short right hands until Carneiro got back to half-guard. Dos Anjos dropped punches and elbows to Carneiro’s face as Carneiro wrapped his arms around dos Anjos’s waist and tried to prevent him from posturing up. Dos Anjos broke his grip and landed more punches in the final 30 seconds. 10-9 dos Anjos.

Round 2:
Dos Anjos landed two overhand lefts and he tried to take Carneiro down. Carneiro balanced on one leg and broke free, but he ate a left cross from dos Anjos and had his back taken against the cage. Dos Anjos tripped Carneiro briefly and he landed a right hook as the fighters separated on the feet. Dos Anjos scored with a liver kick, then ducked under a right hand from Carneiro and took him down. Dos Anjos struck from the top with punches and hammerfists, then briefly eyed a kimura attempt before the bell. 10-9 dos Anjos.

Round 3:
Carneiro finally had some success with counter uppercuts when dos Anjos closed the distance in round three, but dos Anjos landed a combination and a standing elbow. He rocked and dropped Carneiro with a head kick, then tried to finish him with hammerfists on the ground. Carneiro tried to hold on, but dos Anjos bounced his head off of the canvas with two left hands. Carneiro desperately wrapped his arms around dos Anjos’s waist and got back to full guard. Dos Anjos passed to half-guard and he cut Carneiro near his left eye with elbows before attempting a late-round arm-triangle choke. 10-8 dos Anjos.

Round 4:
The cageside doctor checked on Carneiro’s badly swollen left eye before round four, but the fight was allowed to continue. Carneiro landed two hard right hands early in the round, but dos Anjos responded with a takedown into half-guard. Carneiro regained full guard, only for it to be passed again. Dos Anjos tried to set up an arm-triangle choke, but the cage was in his way and so he postured up with elbows instead. As the round entered its final minute, dos Anjos bloodied Carneiro with elbows above his left eye. This cut was a bad one and blood covered the canvas. He escaped to his feet with ten seconds remaining and ducked under a dos Anjos head kick. 10-9 dos Anjos. Could be another 10-8.

Round 5:
Once more, the cageside doctor gave approval for the fight to continue. Dos Anjos jabbed and a bloodied Carneiro landed an uppercut. He blocked a head kick and dos Anjos scored a takedown. Carneiro impressively kicked him off from the bottom and stood up. He landed knees to dos Anjos’s body and stuffed two takedowns. Carneiro countered a one-two from dos Anjos with an uppercut. Dos Anjos began to land jab-cross combos, but Carneiro connected with two lead left hooks. Dos Anjos landed a hard left of his own and a body kick. Carneiro bloodied dos Anjos with two big right hooks, but dos Anjos recovered and landed a left hand before shooting for a takedown. Surprisingly close final round. 10-9 Carneiro.

Winner: Rafael dos Anjos by Unanimous Decision (50-44, 49-44, 49-45) after five rounds. He improves to 31-13-0.

 

Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell vs Edson Barboza

Round 1:
Barboza attacked Mitchell’s lead leg with kicks right away. Mitchell landed a jab and switched stances, then dropped Barboza with a one-two. Barboza got back to his feet and Mitchell put him right back on the mat. He pinned Barboza against the base of the cage and landed short punches and elbows to his face. Barboza finally kicked him off with 40 seconds to go and he rose to his feet. Barboza missed with a spinning back kick to the body and a flying knee attempt before time expired. 10-9 Mitchell.

Round 2:
Round two opened with Barboza landing another hard leg kick, but Mitchell took him down into full guard. He cut Barboza above his left eye with an elbow and peppered him with short punches. Mitchell moved Barboza to the base of the cage and pinned his head there, just as he did in the first round. He eventually moved to three-quarter mount and punished Barboza with punches to his face as Barboza bled heavily from the cut around his eye. 10-8 Mitchell.

Round 3:
Mitchell slipped while throwing a head kick attempt early in the final round and Barboza allowed him to stand back up. Mitchell scored a takedown and struck from the top until Barboza tried to set up a triangle choke. It was loose and Mitchell easily slammed his way out of it. A failed heel hook attempt by Barboza allowed Mitchell to pass to mount. Barboza rolled to his right and got back to half-guard, but Mitchell battered him with elbows until the end of the lopsided fight. 10-9 Mitchell, if not another 10-8.

Winner: Bryce Mitchell by Unanimous Decision (30-25, 30-26, 30-27) after three rounds. He improves to 15-0-0.

 

Kevin “Trailblazer” Holland vs Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira

Round 1:
Holland looked to strike from a distance with kicks in the opening minute, but Oliveira countered effectively with lead left hands. He dropped Holland with a leg kick soon after and took his back as Holland stood up. Oliveira slammed Holland down, but Holland got back to his feet and he hurt Oliveira with a right hook. A wobbled Oliveira cracked Holland with a counter hook and Holland retreated. The pace slowed somewhat until Oliveira spun Holland around with a leg kick. Holland responded with a calf kick and it appeared to affect Oliveira, but he dropped Holland to a knee with a leg kick of his own and then jumped on his back. The round ended with Holland trapped in a rear-naked choke, giving the thumbs-up to the crowd. 10-9 Oliveira.

Round 2:
Holland dropped Oliveira with a counter right hook early in the second round and he followed him to the ground with punches and hammerfists. Oliveira covered up as Holland continued to batter him with elbows until the fight was stopped.

Winner: Kevin Holland by TKO (Punches & Elbows) at 0:38 of round two. He improves to 22-7-0, 1 NC.

 

Sergey “The Polar Bear” Spivak vs Greg “Prince of War” Hardy

Round 1:
Hardy landed a strong leg kick early in the fight and Spivak took him down into half-guard. Hardy gave up his back and stood up, but Spivak slammed him down two more times. He mounted Hardy and rained down hammerfists until the fight was stopped.

Winner: Sergey Spivak by TKO (Punches) at 2:16 of round one. He improves to 14-3-0.

 

(Undercard results and play-by-play on Page Two.)