The UFC Tampa has concluded recently. But despite the noises regarding the event dying down, one name has been reigning supreme. Joaquin Buckley’s thumping victory over Colby Covington has turned the entire limelight towards the welterweight prospect. The warning signs were there from the beginning for Covington.
Going fiercely at ‘Chaos’ right from the word go, Buckley did not let him settle. Ultimately, at the 4:42s mark of Round 3, the match was called off via TKO. Showing brutal physicality, Buckley caught the attention of the UFC critics. Similarly, heaping praise on the 30-year-old fighter was Chael Sonnen.
“I could not put a ceiling on that version—that version of Joaquin Buckley doesn’t have a ceiling. That means he could go with Belal Muhammad. It means he could go with Rakhmonov. It means he could go with Leon, and I think he’s going to be given that opportunity,” said Sonnen on the ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy’ podcast.
Sonnen also opined that a main event victory is always a major confidence booster for an athlete. The former UFC icon predicted that going by his performance, Buckley will remain in the main event scenario and will not be coming down the card anytime soon. Meanwhile, much before the fight happened, a UFC icon already foreshadowed the result.
Kamaru Usman Warned Colby Covington Ahead Of The Fight
Usman was well aware of the impending threat that awaited Colby Covington. After losing to Leon Edwards in a championship bout, ‘Chaos’ had been missing in action for a long time. Expectedly, the risk of ring rust was always there. Add to that, Joaquin Buckley’s impressive run in recent times. Thus, it was not rocket science for Usman to understand that Covington’s victory would be hard.
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Speaking in an episode of ‘Pound 4 Pound’ podcast, Usman issued a stern warning to Covington. “I worry about the inactivity of Covington,” said Usman. Thus, with Buckley getting all the limelight, it remains to be seen whether he can keep up with the hype or not.
Also Read: UFC Tampa Bonuses: Which Fighters Earned $50,000 From Dana White At The Covington vs. Buckley Card?
