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Significant Stats | UFC 272: Covington vs Masvidal
Here's Some Significant Stats To Keep An Eye On Heading Into UFC 272: Covington vs Masvidal
Former allies turned foes headline UFC 272, but Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal aren't the only stars on the card. Here are some of the other great match-ups:
(All stats according to UFC’s Record Book and Fight Metric as of March 2, 2022, and only include active athletes in their respective division unless noted otherwise)
Main Event: Colby Covington vs Jorge Masvidal
Colby Covington
Key Stats: 61 takedowns landed (tied-2nd all-time among WW), 44.9% control time percentage (4th), 4.1 takedowns per 15 minutes
Order UFC 272: Covington vs Masvidal
What It Means: Covington, when at his best and most commanding, is an exhausting fighter to face. His attack is nonstop, whether he is peppering with an improved striking game or shooting for takedowns. He does well to blend strikes into takedowns and hiding shots that way, and when he gets an opponent along the fence, he hustles through each scramble to stay on the front foot. Even if it seems like his opponent is starting to build a base to get back to their feet, Covington is crafty in the way he lets his foe get comfortable before dragging them back down to the mat. When he is on his feet, though, Covington does have pretty fluid striking and likes to blend kicks into his combinations after throwing a few punches.
Jorge Masvidal
Key Stats: 5 KO/TKO wins (tied-5th all-time among WW), 50.1% significant strike accuracy (10th), 75% takedown defense
What It Means: “Gamebred” is a super crafty and technically clean striker with some really smooth and lethal boxing at the forefront of his attack. The combinations he throws are advanced, and he mixes up the shots well. His hook might be his best punch, but he has all the shots in the book. He particularly likes a tricky, switch-step overhand when he switches from orthodox to southpaw. From distance, he also likes to blast kicks to the body. He’s surprisingly strong along the fence in clinches, and he eagerly throws elbows and punches off the break once he gets space.
RELATED: Masvidal Is Determined To Wreck Covington
What to Look For in the Fight: Beyond all the bad blood permeating from this matchup between former teammates, this fight is going to likely come down to whether Masvidal can weather Covington’s grappling and for how long. Covington has an endless gas tank and doesn’t mind a gritty, grinding style of fighting with roots in his wrestling background. If Masvidal’s two fights against welterweight champion Kamaru Usman are anything from which to draw ideas about how this will play out, “Gamebred” needs to reserve his explosions for the right moments. Covington hasn’t shown the one-punch knockout power of the champion, but his volume and wrestling are on par with him, so how Masvidal thwarts Covington’s grappling and counters with knockout-worthy shots is key.
Co-Main Event: Rafael Dos Anjos vs Renato Moicano
Rafael dos Anjos
Key Stats: 7:08:11 total fight time (2nd all-time), 1,439 significant strikes landed (7th all-time), 1:46:27 control time (8th all-time)
RELATED: RDA Is Ready For All Challenges
What It Means: Rafael Dos Anjos really embodies the idea of a mixed martial artist, especially in later chapters of his decorated career. He still wields all the striking prowess that made him a UFC champion, and while he might not have the same explosiveness, his technical ability is still there. His kicks from range are varied, and his switch kick to the body is lethal and fast. If he decides to grapple, he exhibits smart wrestling, patience and control, and when the opportunity opens for a submission, he has all the awareness to take advantage of it.
*Renato Moicano
Renato Moicano Octagon Interview | UFC 271: Adesanya vs Whittaker 2
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Renato Moicano Octagon Interview | UFC 271: Adesanya vs Whittaker 2
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Key Stats: 2.14 takedowns per 15 minutes, 80% takedown defense, 64% significant strike defense
What It Means: Since coming to lightweight, Moicano has looked the part physically, and he seems to still be able to take advantage of his technical abilities, particularly on the ground. Although Moicano is comfortable striking and shows some good countering ability, his bread-and-butter is his ground game. He’s a patient grappler, and while he isn’t the strongest wrestler, if he gets the fight to the ground, he can snatch a submission from a variety of positions. His guillotine is nasty, but he is particularly adept at finding ways to his opponent’s back and sinking in a rear naked choke.
Recap Moicano's Impressive Performance At UFC 271
What to Look For in the Fight: Since moving to lightweight, Moicano has looked stronger each time out, but stepping in on five days’ notice to fight in a five-round co-main event is a tall task. For Dos Anjos, it’ll be his first fight since grinding out a decision win over Paul Felder (who also stepped in on short notice) in his return to 155 in 2020. Dos Anjos showed some suffocating grappling in that fight, but it’ll be interesting to see his approach against someone like Moicano, who poses a submission threat in every position. RDA likely has the cardio advantage, seeing as he was preparing for a five-rounder with Rafael Fiziev for months, but preparing for a kickboxing wizard versus Moicano also poses its own problems. On the feet, watch for Dos Anjos’ kicks from distance and how Moicano goes about countering. Moicano also has some good low leg kicks that he can use to close some distance, as well.
Other Fights to Watch (Edson Barboza vs Bryce Mitchell, Marina Rodriguez vs Yan Xiaonan)
Edson Barboza vs Bryce Mitchell
*Edson Barboza
Key Stats: 14 knockdowns landed (tied-4th all-time), 4.11 strikes landed per minute, 78% takedown defense
Watch UFC 272 Embedded: Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3
What It Means: Barboza has a well-earned reputation as one of the UFC’s most dynamic strikers and he has an unparalleled diversity in knockouts in the Octagon. His most effective strikes are his kicks, particularly his leg kicks and switch kicks to the body. When Barboza has time and distance, he is absolutely lethal. He loves to work his opponent’s body with dedication before mixing it up to the head. His hands are fast, but everything really predicates on him maintaining a kicking range on the feet.
Bryce Mitchell
Bryce Mitchell | Fighter Focus
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Bryce Mitchell | Fighter Focus
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Key Stats: 46.3% top position percentage (2nd all-time among FW), 1.46 strikes absorbed per minute (2nd all-time among FW), 3.26 takedowns averaged per 15 minutes
What It Means: “Thug Nasty” is a relentless fighter with suffocating grappling. He is viciously strong once he gets a hold of his opponents, and he does pretty well at giving second and third efforts before eventually dragging the fight to the canvas. Once he has top control, Mitchell is slick in his transitions and is almost always looking to advance position. From there, his submission attempts are tireless. If the fight is on the feet for a stretch, Mitchell does well to use his grappling as a decoy and comes quick with overhand shots. He also likes a front-leg side kick, as well as a hook kick from distance.
MORE UFC 272: Fight By Fight Preview | Fighters On The Rise
What to Look For in the Fight: Essentially, this fight is about whether Barboza can fend off Mitchell’s takedowns and piece “Thug Nasty” up from distance. Mitchell has a good gas tank and grit when it comes to keeping the fight in his world, but Barboza is the most explosive and experienced fighter he has faced thus far. He can’t linger in kicking range or else Barboza will be throwing something vicious. Mitchell may have success if he can time a leg kick from Barboza and shoot in for a takedown, but he also can’t eat too many leg kicks before taking that chance, either.
Marina Rodriguez
Key Stats: 49.6% significant strike accuracy (6th all-time among WSW), +1.99 striking differential (5th all-time among WSW), 2.89 strikes absorbed per minute (7th all-time among WSW)
What It Means: Rodriguez is a skillful Muay Thai-based striker with some solid knockout power, particularly for a strawweight. She has fast hands and mixes knees into her combinations smoothly, and she is especially proficient in clinches. If she can lock up a Muay Thai clinch on her opponent, Rodriguez is swift with knees, elbows and punches off the break. From a longer distance, Rodriguez will pepper with a clean jab and leg kicks, and she is best when taking the center of the Octagon and pressing forward.
Yan Xiaonan
Key Stats: 5.95 strikes landed per minute (3rd all-time among WSW), +2.34 striking differential (4th all-time among WSW), 61.7% significant strike defense (7th all-time among WSW)
How To Watch UFC 272: Covington vs Masvidal
What It Means: Light on her feet, Yan is a quick and talented striker who mitigates damage while keeping her own offense at a consistent rate. She is a bouncy fighter with fast kicks, and when she feels comfortable, she can put together flurries that overwhelm opponents. A lot of it comes with making herself so difficult to corner and hit, frustrating her opponents before opening up with her own shots.
What to Look For in the Fight: This should be a high-level striking battle where footwork and traps set are critical. Rodriguez is the more flat-footed of the two but carries the cardio and power advantage, especially when they get in close. Yan is a sharp striker with sound defensive awareness, and her lateral movement in the cage makes it difficult to pin her down.
*Hasn’t competed in weight class enough to qualify in UFC Record Book
UFC 272: Covington vs Masvidal took place on Saturday, March 5, 2022, live from a sold out T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses — and relive all of the action on UFC Fight Pass.
