Kamaru Usman achieved his first welterweight title defense on Saturday when he defeated heated rival Colby Covington in the UFC 245 headliner.
Usman (16-1 MMA, 11-0 UFC) kept his perfect octagon record in tact and achieved his goal of silencing Covington (15-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) with a fifth-round TKO victory in the pay-per-view headliner at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Usman’s successful 170-pound title defense against Covington at UFC 245.
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It's finally time. The grudge will be settled. Kamaru Usman (@USMAN84KG) and Colby Covington (@ColbyCovMMA) are about to fight for welterweight gold in the #UFC245 main event.
Full play-by-play: https://t.co/Eghpdn5Jr5 pic.twitter.com/uj3DchZPF9
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) December 15, 2019
.@titoortiz is loving every second of Colby Covington’s entrance at #UFC245 pic.twitter.com/JU0PGGiYyt
— José Youngs (@JoseYoungs) December 15, 2019
#UFC Welterweight Title Closing Betting Odds:@ColbyCovMMA Covington (+175)
Kamaru @USMAN84kg (-210) #UFC245 💰 Live Now -> @ESPN #PPV @Jon_Anik @dc_mma @joerogan @ufc @MMAOddsBreaker https://t.co/GA7JgDsxBa— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) December 15, 2019
HERE. WE. GO.
🏆 @Usman84kg 🆚 @ColbyCovMMA 🇺🇸
Get the E+ PPV ➡️ https://t.co/l5vGF5Fvpt #UFC245 pic.twitter.com/PDO0gxmk7D
— UFC (@ufc) December 15, 2019
Colby firing away early as crowd chants USA USA
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) December 15, 2019
This is a very fast pace and Usman is getting the better of the striking thus far, but it's early. #UFC245
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) December 15, 2019
Two minutes in, Colby has Kamaru fighting his pace.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 15, 2019
These 2 are scrappin. Covington was fighting Usman's fight to start, but now he's baiting Usman into his range. Usman just stuck Colby with an uppercut that hurt him.
— Heidi Fang (@HeidiFang) December 15, 2019
High-paced, high-volume first round. 10-9 Covington imo. #UFC 245
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) December 15, 2019
Colby Covington attempted 24.4 standing strikes per minute in R1. Massive massive round for the challenger. #UFC245
— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) December 15, 2019
Let’s go! These dudes fighting!
— Deron Winn (@DeronWinn) December 15, 2019
Regardless of how this goes, that’s a smart start to come out fast by Colby, as it denies the comfort and confidence Usman has been accustom to throughout his UFC career…. that body work, though.
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) December 15, 2019
Kamaru is sneaking those body shots in nicely. They were slangin #UFC245
— Tatiana Suarez (@tatianaufc) December 15, 2019
Ridiculous exchanges midway through R2! 🔥
The bad blood is LEGIT. #UFC245 pic.twitter.com/1MFj1099FQ
— UFC (@ufc) December 15, 2019
If it keeps going like this where it's relatively even on the feet, Usman power might make the difference over the length of this fight.
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) December 15, 2019
This sure sounds like a pro Colby crowd. #UFC245
— Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) December 15, 2019
Can't spell "Usman" without "U-S-A"
— Dave Doyle (@davedoylemma) December 15, 2019
2 RDs Colby Covington! This is craziness!! #UFC245 is Colby slowing down from those body shots from Usman??
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 15, 2019
When 2 wrestlers end up banging the whole fight!! Respect!!!👊🏽🔥
— Brian Ortega (@BrianTcity) December 15, 2019
Keep going to the body. That is all #UFC245
— Tatiana Suarez (@tatianaufc) December 15, 2019
DC calling this right. Colby needs to make this messy. #UFC245
— Seán Sheehan (@SeanSheehanBA) December 15, 2019
Usman needs to stop switching stances
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 15, 2019
Usman got poked in the eye, backed ot the cage and Covington hit him as ref was coming in
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) December 15, 2019
Damn Colby OUT HERE raking eyes … Smdh #UFC245
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) December 15, 2019
Flagrant #UFC245
— Mike Jackson, Esq. (@TheTruthJackson) December 15, 2019
"Usmans a much better striker" umm what DC?
— David Michaud (@bulldawg_170) December 15, 2019
http://twitter.com/NateDiaz209/status/1206100950953287680
Colby Covington just told his corner "I broke my jaw." #UFC245
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) December 15, 2019
29-28 Usman.
— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) December 15, 2019
His jaw is broken? #UFC245
— Tatiana Suarez (@tatianaufc) December 15, 2019
U didn’t break your jaw usman broke your jaw
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 15, 2019
Right side of Colby's face is swelling
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) December 15, 2019
Championship rounds…still smiling.
🇺🇸 @ColbyCovMMA #UFC245 pic.twitter.com/kModjaXhjx
— UFC (@ufc) December 15, 2019
Covington with some big time balls, throwing down in the center with a broken jaw.
— Fight Ghost (@Fight_Ghost) December 15, 2019
This is a great fight! #UFC245
— Niko Price (@Nikohybridprice) December 15, 2019
I have it 39-37, Covington, but it could be 38-38. #UFC245
— Danny Segura (@dannyseguratv) December 15, 2019
2-2 going into the 5th
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) December 15, 2019
2-2 going into the 5th!!
Broken jaw and all!!#UFC245— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 15, 2019
Respect to Colby for fighting with a broken jaw. This is a great fight!
— Chris Camozzi (@ChrisCamozzi) December 15, 2019
The suspense is killing me #UFC245
— Tatiana Suarez (@tatianaufc) December 15, 2019
This won’t end well. #UFC245
— Simon Samano (@SJSamano) December 15, 2019
I think DC is biased for Usman
— David Michaud (@bulldawg_170) December 15, 2019
lololol what the fuck am I listening to? Covington has his face caved in, his jaw is broken and he is totally piecing him
— Jordan Breen (@jordanbreen) December 15, 2019
All this fight is showing me is that 2020 I become a world champion
— Leon 'Rocky' Edwards (@Leon_edwardsmma) December 15, 2019
Sometimes there are fights your happy they go five rounds and you wish there was more. What a @ufc Final fight.
— Jens Pulver (@jens_pulver) December 15, 2019
Usman stops Covington with strikes in the fifth! #UFC245
— Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) December 15, 2019
✊🏽 #UFC245
— Eryk Anders (@erykanders) December 15, 2019
LET'S GO KING! @USMAN84kg #UFC245 #AndStill
— Mike Jackson, Esq. (@TheTruthJackson) December 15, 2019
What a fight!!!
— Chris Camozzi (@ChrisCamozzi) December 15, 2019
Fffffff yeah @USMAN84kg @henrihooft @CoachGJones #HooftKickboxing #UFC245
— Derek Brunson (@DerekBrunson) December 15, 2019
Aaaaaand still I had all 5 rounds going to @USMAN84kg either way! #UFC245
— Ryan LaFlare (@RLaFlare) December 15, 2019
Yessssss you snowflake
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 15, 2019
7 illegal shots to the back of the head to finish the fight. Way to go @USMAN84kg
— Sean McCorkle (@BigSexyMcCorkle) December 15, 2019
Usman put him away. Omg! Amazing fight by both fighters. What a killer, in the 5th round. Incredible! #UFC245
— Tatiana Suarez (@tatianaufc) December 15, 2019
Kamaru wit that Champ shit!! Hell yeah 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 #UFC245
— Megan Anderson (@MeganA_mma) December 15, 2019
Covington sprints out of the cage. No post-fight interview.
— John Morgan (@MMAjunkieJohn) December 15, 2019
Wow. Goddard certainly wasn’t doing Covington any favors tonight (nor do I expect anyone to have sympathy for Covington), but you have to give credit to Usman for being able to turn it up late against such a high-pace fighter. Curious to see what the scorecards were
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) December 15, 2019
Maybe its karma @ColbyCovMMA got his jaw broke in the third… whatever higher power wants him to shut his fucking mouth 😂
— Erik Jon Koch (@NEWBREED04) December 15, 2019
Terrible stoppage!! #UFC245 That sucks! Colby was going to lose that 5th RD bad, and lose the fight, BUT that stoppage was not right. He was still “intelligently defending” himself, as per the rule book.
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 15, 2019
What a performance by @USMAN84kg !! Stayed composed and stuck to the game plan! Congrats my friend! @ColbyCovMMA is one tough dude!!!! Great night of fights #ufc245
— Stephen Thompson (@WonderboyMMA) December 15, 2019
Congratulations to the champion @USMAN84kg for the win, you’re the champion for a reason. Tough, hard fought fight by both. Colby is super tough and showed it again. @ufc #UFC245
— Demian Maia (@demianmaia) December 15, 2019
What an epic fight. Respect to both men. Congrats @USMAN84kg! #andstill #UFC245
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) December 15, 2019
At 4:10 R5, Kamaru Usman earns the latest finish in UFC WW history and the 5th latest finish in UFC history overall:
R5 4:10 Usman over Covington
R5 4:56 Rozenstruik over Overeem
R5 4:56 Edgar over Swanson
R5 4:59 Rodriguez over Jung
R5 4:59 Johnson over Horiguchi#UFC245— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) December 15, 2019
#UFC245 results: Kamaru Usman (@USMAN84KG) def. Colby Covington via TKO (punches) – Round 5, 4:10 – to defend welterweight title
Full play-by-play: https://t.co/Eghpdn5Jr5 pic.twitter.com/0oY2P0BkWO
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) December 15, 2019
