Raul Rosas Jr submits Colby Covington in under 45 seconds as Conor McGregor laughs at ringside

The UFC bantamweight took the Hype main event in Rome on days' notice after Dillon Danis pulled out, with Covington due to face Khamzat Chimaev on 14 November.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Tue 3 Nov, 22:41 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Raul Rosas Jr speaks with Colby Covington after submitting him at Hype in Rome — Photo: Hype Fighting on X

Raul Rosas Jr took Colby Covington down, took his back and submitted him with a rear-naked choke in under 45 seconds in the Hype main event at the PalaPellicone in Rome on Tuesday.

The No. 8-ranked UFC bantamweight stepped in on days' notice after Dillon Danis pulled out of the submission-only match. The match against Covington, the former interim UFC welterweight champion, was scheduled for one 10-minute round.

Conor McGregor, a teammate of Danis and a special guest at the show, was sitting at ringside, and the broadcast cut to him laughing at the result. Rosas Jr and Covington both referred to McGregor afterwards.

Covington said in his post-match interview that he started slowly and had been focused mainly on his wrestling rather than jiu-jitsu. He also said he is looking ahead to his next Hype match, against UFC lightweight Ignacio Bahamondes on 20 December.

Before that, Covington wrestles Khamzat Chimaev for the RAF Cruiserweight Crossover Championship at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 14 November. Rosas Jr came into Rome off his first UFC main event win, against Raoni Barcelos in September.

In this story

Colby Covington Khamzat Chimaev Raoni Barcelos