Following the major success of the UFC in summer 2021, the promotion is not letting its foot off the gas pedal.

UFC 268, which is scheduled for November 6, is targeting Madison Square Garden as its host. Set to headline is the hotly-anticipated rematch between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, which, like their first meeting, will have the UFC welterweight championship on the line. The bout will take place just under two years after the first matchup between them, which is to date the most competitive welterweight title fight of Usman’s tenure as the champion.

Former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, who last fought in 2019 against current 205-pound king Jan Blachowicz, finally has an opponent for his comeback. After a middleweight fight with rising prospect Khamzat Chimaev did not materialize, Rockhold will now fight Sean Strickland, who is fresh off a headlining win at UFC on ESPN: Hall vs Strickland. This bout is also scheduled to take place at UFC 268.

Ciryl Gane beat Derrick Lewis in the main event of UFC 265 to become the UFC’s sixth interim heavyweight titleholder. On the horizon is a unification bout with Francis Ngannou, for whom Gane is perceived as a legitimate threat. The sky appears the limit for the 10-0 Frenchman, who is France’s first UFC champion.

Fans wanted Michael Chandler vs Justin Gaethje. They have gotten their wish. Two of the top contenders at 155 pounds are slated to meet on the stacked UFC 268 card. This has ‘Fight of the Year’ written all over it, and will be one of the UFC’s most violent offerings of 2021 if it delivers as expected.

Also, in less-publicized news, the UFC parted ways with a former champion in the past week. Nicco Montano, the inaugural women’s flyweight champ, was let go after her July 31 fight was scrapped due to her missing weight. This was the second such occurrence of her short UFC career, and the fifth time overall that one of her fights was cancelled.