+LIVE|🔴!!UFC VEGAS 11: Covington vs. Woodley, LIVE🔴Stream (Colby Covington vs. Tyron Woodley)UFC>>>>2020

Unless Woodley is serious about letting his hands go in this fight, it’s hard to imagine any outcome other than Covington dominating five rounds of action for a wide decision win.

Early in his career, Woodley had a tendency to not let his punches go, but after knocking out Robbie Lawler in the first round to win the welterweight championship, Woodley landed 61, 54, 57 and 57 strikes in his first four title defenses.

He then only landed 34 strikes against Usman and 28 against Burns. Usman landed 141 strikes on Woodley and Burns landed 83. With a high-pace, high-volume fighter like Covington, that is a problem.

Covington lands 4.17 strikes per minute to Woodley’s 2.38, and Woodley’s rate over the past two fights is 1.24. This feels like Covington’s fight to lose.

Woodley gave an interview to ESPN earlier this week and confirmed he would wear Black Lives Matter shorts for his fight against Covington.

He also said he would like to see UFC do more to support the movement and highlighted the work of the NBA, who allowed players to wear certain messaging on the jerseys during the play-offs.

Three play-off games were also postponed in August because of a player boycott after black American Jacob Blake was shot by police in Westconsin.

‘I wish the UFC would do a little bit more; I’m really not happy with that,’ Woodley said in the interview.

“I thought that was a great game plan for Tyron Woodley, to train with a guy I used to beat up every day so he could learn how to lose to me,”

Covington said. “The only thing they game plan is how they’re going to make their alimony payments. I compare him to the Tin Man; he has no heart.

So I just knew if we ever crossed paths it was going to be an easy night for me, and that’s what’s going to happen on Saturday night. It’s going to be easy money. I’m going to expose him.”

The way Covington sees it, a victory sets him up for either a rematch with Usman or a grudge match with Masvidal.

But not until he settles the score against the man who is immediately in front of him.

“Both of those guys are going to get it. It doesn’t matter in which order it goes, it could be ‘Marty Fakenewsman’ or ‘Street Judas’ Masvidal.

They’re both going to get it unless they’re both cowards and tuck their heads between their tails and run off.

Those are the only two fights I’m looking for after I end Tyron Woodley’s career on Saturday night on ESPN.”

‘I had a long conversation with Dana White about it when the riots happened at Ferguson. I wanted them to utilise me to show a positive spin.

‘Let’s go give back. Let’s go do seminars with these kids. Mixed martial arts is an affordable martial art that they can do.

Start doing seminars, bring some of these guests in and have them talk to the kids about life and what martial arts and the discipline has given to them.’

The Black Lives Matter movement has taken centre stage in the sporting world in recent months after George Floyd was killed by police in Missouri in May.

Naomi Osaka raised awareness during the US Open by wearing a mask to honour Breonna Taylor, a black woman killed by police officers who burst into her apartment in March.

The long-anticipated fight between Woodley (19–5–1) and Covington (15–2) has lost steam over the last two years.

That’s largely a product of the once-dominant Woodley being soundly defeated by Kamaru Usman — for the welterweight title — and Gilbert Burns in his two most recent fights.

The complete lack of urgency shown by Woodley in those fights has led to the sense that he is potentially a shot fighter at 38 years old.

Covington, meanwhile, has looked fantastic over the past several years, even in defeat in his title challenge against Usman.

While both men have decent striking power, it’s interesting to note that neither has scored a stoppage via strikes since 2016, that’s a six-fight stretch for both men.

Woodley has spent time training with Covington’s former teammate, Jorge Masvidal, but Covington insists the only thing he learned from Masvidal is how to lose.

“Animosity. You’ve got two guys who want to take each other’s heads off,” Covington told reporters, including MMA Junkie.

“You’ve got red vs. blue. You’ve got me capitalism vs. him communism. You’ve got MAGA vs. maggots. This is a heated rivalry.”

This fight has been talked about for quite some time, dating back to when Woodley held the welterweight title, and it started becoming apparent that Covington could back his out-of-the-cage gimmick with superlative skills on fight night.

It just turned out Woodley lost his belt before the fight could get made, and Covington instead lost to current champion Kamaru Usman, making this fight all the more urgent for both.

As the UFC readies to return to Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, one final bit of business remains to be handled in Las Vegas.

The UFC APEX will play host to another UFC Fight Night card on Saturday, headlined by a grudge match between longtime rivals Tyron Woodley and Colby Covington.

This card is littered with familiar names and meaningful fights throughout. Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone will be in action against Niko Price in the night’s welterweight co-main event.

Cerrone is on a lengthy losing skid and will be looking to get back in the win column against the always-dangerous Price.

Similarly, light heavyweight Johnny Walker will clash with Ryan Spann as Walker looks to right his own ship after back-to-back losses.

LAS VEGAS — Colby Covington wasted little time rattling off all the reasons why his UFC on ESPN+ 36 main event against Tyron Woodley is an easy fight to market.

They’re the same reasons the UFC saw fit to keep the duo apart during Thursday’s pre-fight news conference.

It’s as simple as former welterweight champion Woodley (19–5–1 MMA, 9–4–1 UFC) using his solo portion to repeat

“Black lives matter” statements and Covington (15–2 MMA, 10–2 UFC) wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat when it was his turn.

Main card (8 p.m. ET on ESPN+)

Welterweight: Colby Covington (171) vs. Tyron Woodley (171)

Welterweight: Donald Cerrone (170.5) vs. Niko Price (170.5)

Middleweight: Khamzat Chimaev (185.5) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (186)

Light heavyweight: Johnny Walker (205.5) vs. Ryan Spann (205.5)

Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern (115) vs. Randa Markos (115.5)

Middleweight: Kevin Holland (185) vs. Darren Stewart (185.5