A UFC Welterweight Championship rematch between the current champion Kamaru Usman (also The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians welterweight winner) and former interim champion Colby Covington headlined the event.[4] Serving as the event headliner, they previously met at UFC 245 in December 2019, where Usman defended his title via fifth-round technical knockout.[5]Vicente Luque served as backup and potential replacement for this fight.[6] At the weigh-ins, Luque weighed in at 172.2 pounds, 2.2 pounds over the welterweight title fight limit making him ineligible to compete for the title.[7]
Phil Hawes and Chris Curtis were expected to meet in a middleweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Rodriguez a month earlier, but due to Curtis being tapped as a replacement just a day before that event, Hawes declined the matchup.[14] They met at this event.[15]
A featherweight contest between Melsik Baghdasaryan and T.J. Laramie was scheduled for the event.[16] However, Laramie was forced to pull out after he was diagnosed with an MRSA infection.[17] He was replaced by promotional newcomer Bruno Souza.[18] At the weigh-ins, Souza weighed in at 148.4 pounds, 2.4 pounds over the featherweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at a catchweight and he forfeited 20% of his purse to Baghdasaryan.[7]
A light heavyweight fight between Aleksa Camur and John Allan was scheduled for the event.[19] However, Camur pulled out of the bout citing an undisclosed injury and was replaced by Dustin Jacoby.[20]
At the weigh-ins, C.J. Vergara weighed in at 127.4 pounds, 1.4 pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at a catchweight and he forfeited 20% of his purse to his opponent Ode' Osbourne.[7]