Joaquin Buckley secured his sixth consecutive victory Saturday night, defeating Colby Covington via doctor’s stoppage in the main event of UFC Tampa. The welterweight powerhouse, who has four knockouts in his current streak, left Covington bloodied and battered before the ringside physician intervened at 4:42 of the third round.
Buckley (21-6) wasted no time imposing his will on Covington (17-5), landing powerful strikes and successfully fending off multiple takedown attempts. The 30-year-old nearly ended the fight in Round 1 with a thunderous right hand that sent Covington to the canvas. By the start of the third round, Covington’s face was drenched in blood, with a deep cut above his right eye prompting medical concern.
“I know that ain’t the fight that y’all really wanted. I know we spilled a little blood, but I know you wanted to see a knockout, man,” Buckley said, flashing a grin after the fight. “So my bad, y’all.”
In the aftermath of his impressive performance, Buckley called out former UFC welterweight champions Leon Edwards, Kamaru Usman, and current titleholder Belal Muhammad to gauge crowd reaction. Ultimately, he set his sights on Usman.
“I think its Kamaru Usman, baby,” Buckley declared. “Let’s do.”
For Covington, a former interim champion, the loss marks his fourth in his last six bouts, raising questions about his future as a title contender.
Buckley’s continued rise in the welterweight division positions him as one of the most dangerous contenders in the UFC, with his sights firmly locked on the division’s elite.