There’s a brand new period of welterweights taking on the UFC, and Joaquin Buckley is undeniably one among them.
Buckley (21-6) prolonged his profitable streak to 6 Saturday with a third-round TKO of former interim champion Colby Covington (17-5). The 170-pound bout, which headlined the UFC’s last card of 2024 in Tampa, Florida, was referred to as on the 4:42 mark of the spherical when a cageside doctor stopped it due to a reduce over Covington’s proper eye.
Immediately after the win, Buckley requested the group inside Amalie Arena whom it needed to see him struggle subsequent, providing Leon Edwards, Kamaru Usman and present champion Belal Muhammad as choices.
“I feel it is Kamaru Usman,” Buckley mentioned after weighing the group’s response.
Usman, 37, has not fought since October 2023 and doesn’t presently have an opponent scheduled.
Covington, 36, accepted Saturday’s bout on brief discover when Buckley’s unique opponent, Ian Machado Garry, was moved to a five-round bout in opposition to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 final week. Covington has been a mainstay within the UFC’s welterweight rankings for years however is 1-3 in his previous 4 fights. His most up-to-date win got here in opposition to Jorge Masvidal in March 2022.
Ever the entertainer, Covington walked out with professional wrestling famous person Hulk Hogan and former UFC star Chael Sonnen, now an ESPN analyst, however he regarded flat contained in the Octagon. According to UFC Stats, he landed 71 strikes to Buckley’s 81, however there wasn’t a lot behind them. He tried to take Buckley down all through the struggle however was held to 1 takedown on eight makes an attempt.
Buckley, of St. Louis, regarded sharp on the ft, mixing in punches to Covington’s physique and head. He dropped Covington with a proper hand on the finish of the primary spherical and may need secured a knockout had the bell not saved Covington moments later. He additionally opened the reduce over Covington’s proper eye, which might finally finish the struggle, within the opening spherical.
Covington is a part of a technology of welterweights who seems to be within the twilight of their careers. Usman has misplaced three in a row. Masvidal, probably the most fashionable welterweights of the previous decade, retired from MMA final yr however has introduced plans for a comeback at age 40. The likes of Rakhmonov, Machado Garry, Jack Della Maddalena and now Buckley have been both changing them within the rankings or gaining floor.
Buckley finishes 2024 with a 3-0 report, together with knockouts of Covington and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.
