UFC welterweight Joaquin Buckley is the real deal, and it may not be long before he challenges for the belt.
Buckley, 30, debuted with the UFC in 2020 and quickly established himself as one of the most exciting fighters on the active roster with a viral spinning kick knockout over Impa Kasanganay. Fighting in his first main event at UFC Tampa against former interim champ Colby Covington, Buckley confirmed that he’s built for the spotlight.
Buckley secures TKO victory in front of a star-studded crowd
Tampa’s Amalie Arena played host to the final UFC card of the year and drew a celebrity row of MLB players enjoying their offseason in the Florida sun. Some of the game’s brightest stars assumed their seats cage side, including Bo Bichette, Pete Alonso, and the reigning American League MVP, Aaron Judge.
Buckley entered the cage for the last fight of 2024 and calmly watched as his unapologetically patriotic opponent paraded to the octagon with divisive wrestling icon Hulk Hogan by his side.
No matter the scene, the St. Louis native didn’t cower under the bright lights. From the opening bell, Buckley commanded every aspect of the fight against Covington, all while beating the former interim champ to a bloody pulp.
Buckley shut down Covington’s efforts to bring the fight to the ground, stuffing all but one of his eight takedown attempts. Covington’s greatest weapon, his unrelenting pace, was entirely thwarted by Buckley, who kept his foot on the gas pedal and battered his opponent with twice the total of significant strikes (75-37).
Included in Buckley’s devastating barrage was a first-round uppercut that sliced through Covington’s right eyelid. Buckley continued to target the wound until the doctor stepped in, where she declared Covington was “gonna lose his eyelid” and signaled a stop to the contest in the third round.
Buckley cemented himself at the forefront of the division
With the win, Buckley (21-6) secured his sixth straight victory and remains undefeated at 170 pounds. Entering his fight with Covington as the No. 9 ranked welterweight, he will likely crack the top five after dominating one of the division’s most formidable opponents.
In his post-fight interview, Buckley further staked his claim for a spot in the title picture by prioritizing the UFC fanbase. Even after the masterclass performance, Buckley apologized to the audience for not finishing the job:
“Hey Tampa, I know that ain’t the fight that y’all really wanted. I know we spilled a little blood but I know y’all wanted to see a knockout man so my bad, y’all.”
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Concerning his next bout, Buckley emphasized that it will be against whoever the fans want to see him fight the most. Proposing the names of Leon Edwards, Kamaru Usman, and current champ Belal Muhammad, Buckley weighed the crowd reactions and deduced that it would likely be against Usman.
Regardless of who Buckley is standing across, he has established himself as one of the most intriguing fighters in the welterweight division and will be a major player at 170 pounds heading into 2025.
