Joaquin Buckley and Colby Covington headlined the UFC Tampa battle card, the ultimate predominant occasion of 2024.
Buckley was declared the winner within the third spherical after battering Covington to items, forcing the physician to step in to wave off the battle.
SIX in a row for @NewMansa94 👏#UFCTampa pic.twitter.com/FCbAqtSsod
— UFC (@ufc) December 15, 2024
“I do know we spilled slightly love, I do know you guys wished to see a knockout,” Buckley mentioned after the battle apologizing for not KOing Covington. He supplied three names to the gang and requested them to choose, the gang cheered the loudest for former champion Kamaru Usman.
Early within the first spherical, Buckley reduce Covington after which defended Covington’s takedown makes an attempt. Buckley made Covington look weak of their change’s first 5 minutes with Covington controlling Buckley for slightly below 30 seconds of the spherical. Buckley ended the spherical with a giant knockdown and was saved by the bell.
Within the second spherical, Covington got here out swinging desirous to take again management of the battle. Buckley defends the takedown once more and flurries on Covington who has a badly broken eye. Lastly with three minutes remaining Covington lastly received the takedown and was capable of maintain Buckley towards the fence. With one other two minutes remaining, Buckley received again to his ft and the hanging recreation was again on. They ended the battle on their ft, a more in-depth spherical nevertheless it was in all probability nonetheless a Buckley spherical.
THE CUT OVER COLBY COVINGTON'S EYE 🤯 #UFCTAMPA pic.twitter.com/cW9TakY3Qn
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 15, 2024
The physician warned Covington between rounds to guard the reduce as he did not see permitting the battle to go on if it received any worse. Inside seconds Buckley landed big flurris after which it was him on prime of Covington on the canvas. Again to the ft, they’re swinging once more. Covington has blood throughout his face from the injury that Buckley inflicted. Buckley will get him right into a triangle choke however all of the blood permits Covington to slide out. Covington takes prime management within the last minute however he is not actually doing a lot injury or placing Buckley in any hazard. With simply seconds remaining the physician stepped in to name the battle off as a result of reduce to Covington’s eyelid.
As a consequence of a Physician's Stoppage Joaquin Buckley wins by TKO.#UFCTampa pic.twitter.com/rj6iEjNFkK
— UFC (@ufc) December 15, 2024
Covington was making his return to the Octagon after a 12 months hiatus. The previous interim title holder and multiple-time title challenger was seeking to rebound from his UFC 296 loss to Leon Edwards. He is gone win-loss, win-loss since defeating Robbie Lawler in 2019.
Buckley was moving into the largest battle of his profession so far. He went into the battle on a five-fight win streak with current victories over Stephen Thompson, Nursulton Ruziboev, and Vicente Luque.
