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Take A Closer Look At The Two Welterweights Set To Throw Down In The Final Fight of 2024
To say things have been a bit chaotic in the welterweight division lately would be an understatement. Things were all lined up to have the welterweights on top at the end of the year with champion Belal Muhammad taking on Shavkat Rakhmonov in the last pay-per-view of the year, followed up by Ian Machado Garry and Joaquin Buckley in the last Fight Night event. But that all changed when Muhammad got hurt, forcing him out of 310.
The new lineup included a five-round co-main event last weekend that saw Rakhmonov defeat Machado Garry by unanimous decision after 25 minutes. Now set to square off Saturday night in Tampa is yet another welterweight banger as former title challenger Colby Covington steps in to face “New Mansa”.
UFC TAMPA FULL FIGHTS: Buckley vs Thompson | Covington vs Masvidal
Let’s take a closer look at this 170-pound matchup.
Colby Covington
Colby Covington has been at the top of the welterweight division for the past few years, fighting the best of the best and competing for UFC gold. Back in 2018, “Chaos” defeated Rafael Dos Anjos to win the interim welterweight title but was later stripped of the title due to injury.
Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley | UFC Journey
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Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley | UFC Journey
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Since then, Covington has fought for the belt three times, against Kamaru Usman twice and once against Leon Edwards. The 36-year-old has a record of 12-4 in the Octagon, with an overall record of 17-4. He hasn’t competed since his loss to Edwards last December, and prior to that fight he has only fought once a year since 2020. Throughout his career, Covington has gone 16-1 in non-title matchups. Covington has made it clear that he still aspires to make it back to title contention.
Joaquin Buckley
After spending most of his career in the middleweight division, Buckley made the permanent move down to the welterweight division and it has paid off. Since returning to 170 pounds in May 2023, “New Mansa” has rattled off five straight wins, three coming by way of knockout.
He has cemented himself as a contender in this division, most recently knocking out veteran Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson just two months ago in Salt Lake. Buckley is known for his Performance of the Year knockout against Impa Kasanganay in Abu Dhabi back in 2020. It marked Buckley’s first post-fight bonus, and he has picked up four more since then.
Joaquin Buckley Fight Week Interview | UFC Tampa
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Joaquin Buckley Fight Week Interview | UFC Tampa
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Buckley’s strength mainly lies in his striking, as he has earned 14 of his 20 wins by knockout, and he makes it clear that he is always hunting for that knockout.
Meeting In The Middle
This matchup has grappler versus striker written all over it. Covington is known for his wrestling skills and the ability to get the fight to the canvas, while Buckley is always bringing the knockout power to the Octagon. Buckley does have the reach advantage by four inches, with Covington at 72 inches, compared to Buckley’s 76 inches.
UFC 310 REWIND: Main Card Results | Prelim Results | Official Scorecards
Covington has the second most takedowns in the UFC welterweight division history with 69, and has an average of 3.79 takedowns in a 15-minute fight, which is well above the UFC average of 1.93. Despite Buckley having significantly more knockouts to his name, on paper, the two match up fairly well in the striking department. Covington lands 3.88 strikes per minute, while Buckley lands 4.13 per minute. Both men are above the UFC average of 2.5.
This is Buckley’s first main event and first fight that could potentially go all five rounds. Meanwhile, Covington is no stranger to the spotlight and spending all 25 minutes in the cage. “Chaos” has shown his durability in the Octagon as the fight moves into the later rounds, so it will be interesting to see how Buckley adjusts should the fight make it to the fourth or fifth round.
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There’s a lot on the line for both competitors as Buckley looks to propel himself into the title conversation, while Covington wants to show he still belongs at the top of the division.
UFC Fight Night: Covington vs Buckley took place live from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida on December 14, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!