Posted November 4, 2021 by Austin Bumpus MMA/Wrestling

UFC 268: Main card, how to watch and what you need to know

The month of November tends to be a special one for the UFC, so it makes sense that the promotion would pull out all of the stops to entertain fans when UFC 268 goes live from Madison Square Garden.

In the past five years, the UFC has taken over MSG just four times, and two of the four events could be considered some of the best in the UFC’s illustrious history.

Conor McGregor’s knockout win against Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205 to win the UFC lightweight title kicked off the company’s relationship with the historic venue in 2016. One year later, an all-time UFC 217 card headlined by Georges St. Pierre’s final fight kicked things into another gear in a star-studded fashion.

A mediocre UFC 230 card in 2018 headlined by Daniel Cormier and Derrick Lewis dwindled some of the MSG momentum, and a lackluster finish to a highly-anticipated bout between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz at UFC 244 a year later stalled things even more.

But, a few years later, Dana White and company are looking for a return to glory at Madison Square Garden with a loaded UFC 268 main card.

In the night’s main event, two of the promotion’s biggest names will go head-to-head for a second time as UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman defends his title once more against the polarizing Colby Covington.

The duo’s feud seemingly continues to get more personal as each day passes, and fans inside Madison Square Garden will be on the edge of their seats when these two fighters step into the Octagon to wrap up UFC 268.

Sliding in as a co-main event, fight fans will get to watch another highly-anticipated rematch as Zhang Weili looks to regain the UFC women’s strawweight title from champion Rose Namajunas, the very woman who took the belt from her less than seven months earlier.

With just two losses on her record, Weili represents one of the most dangerous title challengers the UFC has seen in a long time. But, after a quick knockout win in the first round at UFC 261, Namajunas will look to thwart the former champion’s comeback attempt under the bright lights in New York.

Earlier in the card, Usman and Namajunas’ head coach Trevor Whitman will kick off a busy night with a premier lightweight bout between fellow Whitman product Justin Gaethje and rising UFC star Michael Chandler.

The UFC’s website lists this as the opening fight for the UFC 268 main card, likely due to the fact that Whitman will already be in the corner for each of the night’s last two fights. But, this fight is easily, at the very least, the third-best fight on the card, and could’ve been a five-round headliner on a UFC Fight Night card in December.

The winner of the Gaethje-Chandler bout would position themselves nicely for a shot at the winner of the upcoming UFC lightweight title fight between champion Charles Oliveira and challenger Dustin Poirier. So, don’t be surprised if Gaethje and Chandler are throwing everything they’ve got at each other when they go face-to-face on Saturday night.

Add in a bout between two ranked bantamweights, and a nice featherweight bout as an appetizer, and this card is shaping up to be a special one.

As you count down the minutes until the UFC goes live from New York on Saturday night, here are all of the key details you need to know about UFC 268.

When is UFC 268?

UFC 268 will start at 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 6, 2021.

Where is UFC 268 taking place?

UFC 268 will be held live from the Madison Square Garden in New York.

UFC 268 main card:

Main event for the UFC Welterweight Championship: Kamaru Usman (c) vs. Colby Covington

Women’s Strawweight Championship bout: Rose Namajunas (c) vs. Zhang Weili (1)

Lightweight bout: Justin Gaethje (2) vs. Michael Chandler (5)

Bantamweight bout: Frankie Edgar (8) vs. Marlon Vera (13)

Featherweight bout: Shane Burgos (14) vs. Billy Quarantillo

How can I watch the UFC 268 main card and prelims?

You can buy the UFC 268 main card on ESPN+, and you can watch prelims at 8 p.m. ET on ESPNEWS or ESPN+. Early prelims will be shown on UFC Fight Pass starting at 6 p.m. ET.

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