Colby Covington defeats bitter rival Tyron Woodley in fifth round TKO at UFC 178
COLBY COVINGTON was victorious against his bitter rival Tyron Woodley with a fifth-round TKO at UFC 178.
The two Americans squared up in the early hours – and Covington stopped his opponent after 1min 19sec after five thrilling rounds.
This eagerly-awaited welterweight clash certainly lived up to expectations.
But it was virtually all one-way traffic as Californian Covington, 32, completely dominated from the outset.
It was the main bout of UFC 178 at the UFC Apex in Nevada.
Missouri fighter Woodley clearly had rib damage and howled in pain before the referee stopped the fight less than a third of a way through the fifth round.
Covington was quick to line up his next opponents after dispatching hated Woodley, calling out Marty Fakenewsman Usman and Street Judas Masvidal.
He said in his post-fight interview: “Marty Fakenewsman, Street Judas , we got unfinished business.
“There’s nowhere to run, and there’s nowhere to hide. I’m coming for you. You’re next.”
Covington had put down former welterweight champion Woodley after just 40 seconds of the first round.
Woodley tried to find a way into the fight but with poor offence he looked a shadow of the former champion he was and often found himself pushed to the perimeter.
In the fourth round Covington put Woodley down for a second time.
He smashed his opponent as his superiority started to pay off.
The grounded Woodley was left battered and bloodied on the ground as Covington took complete control.
In the final round, Covington continued to pummel the crushed Woodley.
He put him down again before the referee intervened to stop a huge beating with Woodley clearly injured and nursing possibly a broken rib or ribs.
Covington looked back to his best after a TKO to Usman in his previous fight last December.
He is now 8-1 in his last nine fights and looked in great shape despite not being in action since the lockdown.
For Woodley, it is a very different story as this was his third successive defeat.
Usman defeated him 18 months ago after he held the welterweight title for three years from 2016-2019.
But he faces some tough calls now as he weighs up what to do.
He certainly looked all of his 38 years in this fight.
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This bout finally ended a rivalry which had built up over the last couple of years.
The pair were first supposed to fight when Woodley was champion in 2018.
But both men accused the other of not taking up the offer.