Three-time title challenger and former interim champ Colby Covington ends his year-long hiatus, stepping up on short-notice to square off with Joaquin Buckley in the final UFC bout of the year.
Covington hasn’t fought since challenging Leon Edwards for the welterweight title last year at UFC 296 in Las Vegas. Though he came up short in that bid (and each of his three title bids), “Chaos” has consistently proven himself to be one of the top contenders and toughest outs in the 170-pound weight class, having gone 16-1 in non-title matchups during his career.
After an uneven run at middleweight, Buckley shifted to the welterweight ranks last year and has been rolling ever since, posting five straight victories to climb into the Top 10. Last time out, “New Mansa” stopped Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson with a leaping right hand that instantly halted their competitive clash at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City.
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This is a fascinating clash on multiple levels, and the abbreviated run-up to the fight creates intrigue, as well. Stylistically, it’s a classic “grappler versus striker” pairing where Covington will be hunting for ways to put Buckley on the canvas, while the ascending contender will aim to keep things standing, but it’s also a meeting of fighters at very different stages of their respective careers, with Buckley aiming to rise into the championship conversation for the first time, while Covington hopes to prove he’s still very much in the mix.
No matter how it shakes out, this will be an informative and entertaining clash to close out 2024 inside the Octagon.
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