Colby Covington Shuts Out Robbie Lawler in One-Sided UFC on ESPN 5 Main Event

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Colby Covington had too much horsepower for Robbie Lawler.

Repeated takedowns, a merciless pace and high-output standup carried the American Top Team standout to a unanimous decision over Lawler in the UFC on ESPN 5 headliner on Saturday the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, likely cementing him as the No. 1 contender in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight division. All three cageside judges saw it for Covington (15-1, 10-1 UFC): 50-44, 50-45 and 50-45.

Lawler (28-14, 13-8 UFC) never got out of neutral. Covington overwhelmed him with takedowns at the start, wore down the former EliteXC and UFC champion in the clinch and applied maximum pressure with his punches. Lawler spent far more time bobbing and weaving than he did returning fire. Covington punctuated his latest conquest in the closing seconds of Round 5, where he connected with a spinning backfist and cut “Ruthless Robbie” near his left eye.

Covington has rattled off seven straight victories and appears poised to challenge Kamaru Usman for the undisputed welterweight crown later this year.

Miller Guillotine Dispatches Guida

Former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Jim Miller choked Clay Guida unconscious with a first-round guillotine in a lightweight co-main event between two of the UFC’s most prolific competitors. Guida (35-19, 15-13 UFC) blacked out 58 seconds into Round 1.

Their encounter was fun while it lasted. Guida cracked his fellow veteran with a sizzling right cross, only to be met with an equally stout left from the New Jersey native. Miller (31-13, 20-12 UFC) capitalized on a brief moment of weakness, as he clamped down on the neck of the dazed Team Alpha Male representative and squeezed until the job was done.

It was Miller’s first-ever sub-minute finish. He joined Donald Cerrone, Demian Maia, Georges St. Pierre and Michael Bisping as the only fighters to ever record 20 victories inside the Octagon.

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Promising Haqparast Flattens Silva

Tristar Gym prospect Nasrat Haqparast cut down Joaquim Silva with punches in the second round of their lightweight feature. Silva (11-2, 4-2 UFC) succumbed to blows 36 seconds into Round 2, as the Brazilian was finished for the first time in his 13-fight career.

Haqparast (11-2, 3-1 UFC) was patient and precise throughout a fact-finding first round, where he calibrated his timing and probed for openings. Early in the second round, he stepped forward with a crushing overhand left that sent Silva crashing to the canvas. Haqparast pounced with punches, unleashing both hands until referee Keith Peterson had seen enough.

Just 23 years of age, Haqparast will carry a three-fight winning streak into his next outing.

Meerschaert Choke Vanquishes Giles

Roufusport mainstay and former Resurrection Fighting Alliance champion Gerald Meerschaert submitted Trevin Giles with a guillotine choke in the third round of their featured middleweight pairing. Giles (11-2, 2-2 UFC) tapped and then lost consciousness 1:49 into Round 3.

Meerschaert (29-11, 5-3 UFC) lulled the Texan into a false sense of security in the first two rounds, allowing him to initiate ground exchanges -- Giles achieved full mount in the second -- before utilizing sweeps and reversals while flexing his grappling prowess. He sprang his trap in Round 3. Giles was again lured to the mat, where Meerschaert snatched the guillotine in transition and tightened his squeeze while denying an ill-advised takedown attempt. Referee Herb Dean did not see the tap before the Legacy Fighting Alliance veteran went limp.

The 31-year-old Meerschaert has won 10 of his last 13 bouts.

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Holtzman Forces Doctor Stoppage

Former Xtreme Fighting Championships titleholder Scott Holtzman won for the fourth time in five appearances, as he was awarded a technical knockout against Dong Hyun Ma in their lightweight showcase. The cageside physician deemed the damage to Ma’s right eye too severe for him to continue in between the second and third rounds.

Holtzman (13-3, 6-3 UFC) sat down the South Korean judoka with a straight right hand in the opening round, moved into half guard, cut loose with ground-and-pound and eventually achieved full mount. Ma (16-10-3, 3-4 UFC) retreated to his corner after the first five minutes with grotesque swelling around his eye. Despite his best efforts, his condition worsened during the middle stanza, as Holtzman engaged him at close range and targeted his eye with punches and elbows.

Ma has followed a three-fight winning streak with consecutive defeats.

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