UFC 268 Betting Tips and Usman v Covington predictions

Free tips, best bets and analysis for Saturday night's bouts at UFC 268.

Where to watch

BT Sport from 1am, Saturday night

Best bets

K Usman to win by KO, TKO or disqualification
1pt 6-4 Paddy Power

R Namajunas
2pts Evs Paddy Power

J Gaethje to win by KO, TKO or disqualification
2pts Evs Paddy Power

Preview

UFC 268 offers up two title fights as the action returns to Madison Square Garden for the first time since November 2019.

Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman takes on Colby Covington for the second time, having won by TKO at UFC 245 when making the first defence of his title.

The Nigerian Nightmare has since seen off Jorge Masvidal twice and Gilbert Burns courtesy of a vastly improved striking game.

Usman finished just two of his first ten UFC opponents but, including Covington, he has stopped three of the last four and another KO/TKO win looks likely in New York.

There's also a rematch in the co-main as Zhang Weili looks to avenge her loss to Rose Namajunas at UFC 261 in April.

Namajunas claimed a first-round KO in the previous meeting, landing a sweet head kick, but Zhang, who subsequently lost her title, disputed the stoppage and the two fighters go again.

Thug Rose showed in the first bout that she had superior speed and technical ability and that should stand her in good stead to get another win.

Lightweight duo Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler both come from wrestling backgrounds but they often prefer to stand and trade.

Gaethje, making his first trip to the octagon since losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov, is the pick to win by KO, TKO or disqualification.

The Highlight was on a four-fight winning streak, all coming via KO or TKO, prior to going down against Khabib, and has sealed 19 of 22 wins by that route, while four of Chandler's six-career defeats have come by KO or TKO.

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