The American Top Team standout wore down Robbie Lawler for five relentless rounds in the UFC on ESPN 5 headliner, blending takedowns with volume striking to capture a unanimous decision triumph in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday night. That makes seven wins in a row for “Chaos” and 10 of 11 during his UFC tenure overall. The victory likely sets up a future showdown with reigning 170-pound champion Kamaru Usman. As for the welterweight rankings, Covington remains entrenched in the third spot behind Usman and Tyron Woodley.
Elsewhere, former UFC champions Demetrious Johnson and Eddie Alvarez both earned victories in their respective grand prix tournaments under the One Championship banner. However, both men are likely fighting at least one weight class above their current rankings -- Johnson is No. 2 at flyweight, Alvarez is sixth at lightweight -- so they will both stay put and could potentially fall once their eligibility expires.
Finally, Matt Schnell enters the Top 10 at flyweight on the strength of a quick submission of previous No. 10 fighter, Jordan Espinoza. Schnell replaces Espinosa in the 10th spot on the back of a three-bout winning streak at 125 pounds.
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