3 fights to look forward to and 2 fights that will likely disappoint at UFC 268

It's a great time to be an MMA fan with UFC 268 right around the corner. Rarely does the UFC faithful get back-to-back numbered events in consecutive weeks, but here we are.

The main event will feature Kamaru Usman meeting his archnemesis Colby Covington in a rematch of their barnburner title fight at UFC 245. Now the top pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC, Usman is on his way to the pantheon of all-time greats but not if Covington has anything to say about it.

Another highly-anticipated rematch is set to take place in the co-main event as Rose Namajunas takes on Weili Zhang six months after their initial clash. Star lightweights Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler are also gearing up for an all-important showdown that could decide the division's next title challenger.

UFC 268 is shaping up to be one of the most entertaining cards of the year. With that said, however, there's always a remote chance for well-booked matchups to turn out to be duds. On that note, here are three fights to look forward to and two that will likely disappoint at UFC 268.

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#3. Fight to look forward to at UFC 268: Alex Pereira vs. Andreas Michailidis

UFC 268: Alex Pereira vs. Andreas Michailidis

Alex Pereira, a.k.a. Israel Adesanya's Kryptonite, will make his promotional debut in the featured preliminary bout at UFC 268. The only man to hold a knockout win over the UFC's premier striker will take on Greek veteran Andreas Michailidis.

Having beaten the current king of middleweights under the Glory Kickboxing banner, Pereira is confident that he too will reach the mountaintop of the 185-pound division. Right now, though, he can't afford to look past his formidable opponent.

Standing across the octagon will be Michailidis, who defeated K.B. Bhullar in his most recent outing at UFC Fight Night: Reyes vs. Prochazka. The 33-year-old has significantly more experience inside the cage and has won four of his last five fights. Michailidis will present an interesting test to Pereira, who vowed to be the next premier striker in the octagon.

#2. Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC 268: Marlon Vera vs. Frankie Edgar

UFC 268: Marlon Vera vs. Frankie Edgar

Frankie Edgar will return to action at UFC 268 for the first time since being obliterated by Cory Sandhagen. While he will take a step down in terms of the level of competition, he'll still have his hands full taking on this promising up-and-comer.

His most recent loss aside, Edgar looked relatively sharp in his previous fight against fellow Top 15 bantamweight Pedro Munhoz. On Saturday, the 40-year-old former lightweight champ will try to prove that he has more left in the tank.

Meanwhile, Vera shot to prominence after derailing the Sean O'Malley hype train in very controversial fashion. The Ecuadorian bit off more than he could chew when he took on the seemingly ageless Jose Aldo but immediately bounced back with a victory over Davey Grant earlier this year.

Vera will have a golden opportunity as he's set to take on a high-profile opponent who's way past his heyday. In that same respect, it's highly likely that Edgar's decline will be exposed come fight night. For that reason, this matchup will likely disappoint.

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#2. Fight to look forward to at UFC 268: Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler

UFC 268: Justin Gaethje vs. Michael Chandler

A surefire war will serve as the main card opener as Justin Gaethje clashes with Michael Chandler at UFC 268. In a bid to declutter coach Trevor Wittman's work schedule, this potential Fight of the Night was turned into the event's curtain jerker.

Fresh off an unsuccessful bid to dethrone Khabib Nurmagomedov, fan-favorite Justin Gaethje will return for the first time since October 2020. Although Gaethje fell short against Khabib, 'The Highlight' showcased an improved version of his game against fellow superstar Tony Ferguson at UFC 249. Once regarded as a reckless fighter, Gaethje displayed tremendous discipline and high fight IQ during his demolition of 'El Cucuy'.

On the opposite side of the cage is former Bellator lightweight champion Chandler. The 35-year-old was moments away from becoming a UFC titleholder, nearly finishing Charles Oliveira towards the end of the first round of their UFC 262 clash. However, the Brazilian rallied back in round two to secure a championship-winning TKO.

Gaethje and Chandler are both known for having a penchant for letting their hands fly and a knockout-or-get-knocked-out mentality. Needless to say, this is not one you would want to miss.

#1. Fight that will likely disappoint at UFC 268: Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington

UFC 268: Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington [Photo via @btsportufc on Twitter]

Kamaru Usman will defend the welterweight title against Colby Covington in the main event of UFC 268.

Nine months after capturing the title from Tyron Woodley, Usman made his first title defense against Covington, battling hard before finally securing the victory with less than a minute remaining in the fifth. Since then, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' has been a force to be reckoned with, decimating Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal, who he defeated twice.

Meanwhile, Covington was able to bounce back with a dominant win over Woodley. It was a retrospective view of what could have been had Covington not been injured and went on to fight 'The Chosen One' at UFC 235 as originally scheduled.

If this fight looks anything like their UFC 245 encounter, fight fans are in for a delightful treat. Except it probably won't. With both men aware of each other's strengths and tendencies, adjustments are to be expected from both sides.

Due to the high expectations surrounding this main event bout, it's highly likely that it won't live up to the hype. That said, Usman vs. Covington 2 is still a money matchup.

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#1. Fight to look forward to at UFC 268: Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili

UFC 268: Rose Namajunas vs. Weili Zhang

Rose Namajunas seeks the first successful defense of her second reign as the strawweight champ in a rematch with China's Zhang Weili at UFC 268.

UFC 261 was deja vu for Namajunas, who once again conquered seemingly insurmountable odds to claim the 115-pound throne. A perfectly-placed head kick turned the lights out on Zhang and ended the Chinese star's 21-fight winning streak.

Zhang appeared to be on her way to a dynastic title reign after dismantling former champions Jessica Andrade and Joanna Jedrzejczyk. However, Namajunas proved herself to be the octagon's queenslayer as she made quick work of Zhang.

As impressive as Namajunas' victory was, it appears that the UFC wanted her to prove that her victory was no fluke – hence the immediate rematch. With the first encounter ending early, it will be interesting to see whether 'Thug Rose' caught Zhang on a bad night or if she truly is the absolute best in the division.