UFC Tampa: Covington vs. Buckley Recap

Covington vs. Buckley via. MMA Junkie

In the final calendar event of the year, UFC Tampa, surging welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley took on former interim champion Colby Covington.

Lead-up:

Heading into the fight, this was Covington’s final chance to remain in title contention. The Oregon-born fighter had gone from fighting three times a year into a streak of inactivity, fighting once a year since 2022. Chaos was coming off a lackluster performance against former champion Leon Edwards. Clearly, ring rust was a factor in the fight, with Covington unable to push the pace and weaponize his most elite attribute, his cardio. 

For Buckley, 2024 was a year of career revival. With an inconsistent tenure in the middleweight division, New Mansa decided to move down to welterweight, a decision which paid great dividends. Heading into the bout, Buckley was on a five-fight win streak, with his most recent victory against Stephen Thompson not only winning but finishing Wonderboy on the feet, making a statement to the rest of the division. Since the move down to 170, Buckley has been a completely new fighter, and he looked to carry that momentum into UFC Tampa.

The Fight:

Before the bout, Covington’s signature pre-fight antics had taken a backseat. At the pre-fight presser, Covington had no ill will toward his opponent, simply promising to make the division great again and claim the title he’d coveted for so long. However, his walk to the cage was nothing short of a spectacle, with legendary Hulk Hogan on his left and the Bad Guy, Chael Sonnen on his right. In round one, Covington’s game plan was clear: get Buckley on the back foot, pressure him to the cage, and secure takedowns. However, Chaos couldn’t get to his opponent, with Buckley demonstrating excellent takedown defense, using effective sprawls in anticipation of every one of Colby’s takedowns. Age clearly played a factor in the contest, with Buckley seemingly one step ahead of Covington the entire contest. Ring rust was a clear issue for the veteran, and his inability to implement his pressure-oriented style made it easy for Buckley to tee off on him. New Mansa’s stand-up game was on point in the bout, consistently beating his opponent to the punch, utilizing his elite jab and body kicks. Early in round one, a nasty cut opened on the right eye of Covington, impairing his ability to see what was being thrown at him. Covington managed to weather the barrage of attacks, but his speed and timing simply couldn’t keep up with Buckley’s. In the second round, Covington secured a takedown but caused minimal damage with the control time. Once the fight returned to the feet, it was again a one-sided beatdown. In the second and third rounds, Colby’s eye was in great danger, with the blood impairing his vision and referee Dan Miragliotta threatening to stop the contest on multiple occasions. Ultimately, at the end of the third round, with Buckley leading three rounds to none, the doctors stopped the contest, awarding New Mansa the biggest win of his UFC career.

What’s Next:

In his post-fight interview, Buckley called out three names: Leon Edwards, Kamaru Usman, and the champion, Belal Muhammad. Ultimately, the crowd settled on Usman, a fight in which, if Buckley emerges victorious, he will surely insert himself as the next title contender. For Covington, the future remains to be determined. With title contention out of the picture, Chaos may have to explore changing weight classes. Covington has never struggled to cut weight in the welterweight division, so moving weight classes may be the only attainable option if he looks to remain in the upper echelon of contenders in any way, shape, or form. 

December 15, 2024 Ultimate Fan Connection