Colby Covington held the interim title for a time, but that credential, which secured him a visit to the White House, did not last. With Kamaru Usman now the official champ, Covington must earn another shot by getting past former welterweight division champion Robbie Lawler in UFC on ESPN 5 (Prelims scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. ET, followed by main card on ESPN at 3 p.m. ET).
The odds favor Covington to add to the relatively fresh faces near the top of the division. And yet, any longtime MMA fan knows that Lawler fights as if odds and rankings don't matter at all. Can we trust the favorite? Or can Lawler play spoiler to yet another aspiring title contender?
Here's a breakdown of Saturday's showdown in Newark, New Jersey:
Welterweight matchup: No. 2 Colby Covington (-225) vs. No. 11 Robbie Lawler (+185)
The main takeaway from the tale of the tape is that Covington is indeed relatively new blood at the top of the welterweight division, at least compared to the veteran Lawler. But the six-year age difference is perhaps less important than the fact that the 37-year-old Lawler has more than double the professional MMA fights -- and cumulative damage -- as Covington.