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#2. Nick Diaz vs. Robbie Lawler 2 - UFC 266
Even as talk of a Nick Diaz UFC return intensified, I'm not sure I ever believed we'd really see it. And yet, here we are, less than two months away from witnessing the Stockton native back inside the octagon. In a rematch 16 years in the making, Diaz will go head-to-head with former UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler.
Having not competed since his headlining fight against Anderson Silva in 2015, which saw the Brazilian’s unanimous decision victory overturned to a no contest, Diaz will be attempting to secure his first win in just shy of a decade.
Lawler, meanwhile, has fought eight times since we last saw Diaz in action. But with the former 170-pound champion struggling to a 3-5 record in that period, Diaz will no doubt fancy his chances at having his arm raised when the pair collide inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
As fans gear up for Nick Diaz’s return to action on September 25, many will be heading to the archives to remind themselves of the memorable career of the Stockton native and of his first meeting with 'Ruthless' back at UFC 47 in 2004.
In what was a crazy fight for as long as it lasted, both men swung hard and left everything inside the octagon. But not long into the second round, it was Diaz who secured victory with a brutal right hand that sent Lawler face-first into the canvas. The former Strikeforce, WEC, and IFC 170-pound champ will hope to repeat that result when he enters the cage with Lawler for the second time later this year.
Given that this fight will represent the first time fans have seen Diaz in action since 2015, it's certainly one of the most anticipated matchups still to come in 2021.
#1. Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington 2 - UFC 268
Of the fights currently booked or close to being set in stone for the rest of the year, I'm not sure many will come close to this one. Not many rivalries in the UFC are as heated as Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington's. At UFC 268, their grudge match will main event a card targeted to be the UFC's return to the famed Madison Square garden in New York City.
The pair first met back at UFC 245 in December 2019. After giving 'The Nigerian Nightmare' the toughest test of his championship reign to date, 'Chaos' fell to a TKO loss late in the fifth round. Following many words and interviews slating the champion and some accusations of PED usage from Covington, who even described Usman as the "CEO of EPO," the pair are set to run it back this year.
Since their first fight, the champ has developed exponentially. Two dominant title defenses against Jorge Masvidal and a striking masterclass against Gilbert Burns extended Usman's UFC record to 14-0. A partnership with renowned coach Trevor Wittman has left the Nigerian with incredible power and all-round skills, something we saw in action against Masvidal at UFC 261 earlier this year.
Covington, meanwhile, has fought just once since falling short against Usman in 2019. A dominant victory over former champion Tyron Woodley was enough to book himself a title rematch, despite the form Leon Edwards has shown.
Given how their first fight went, and with their ongoing feud, Usman and Cobington's second clash is the biggest fight set for the end of 2021.
