What’s subsequent for Joaquin Buckley and Colby Covington after UFC Tampa?

The UFC ended the 2024 12 months with a strong Battle Night time card in Tampa, Florida, which noticed Joaquin Buckley tackle Colby Covington in the principle occasion.

Buckley entered the battle coming off a KO win over Stephen Thompson as he was 3-0 since dropping all the way down to welterweight. Covington, in the meantime, was preventing for the primary time in a 12 months after he misplaced to Leon Edwards for the welterweight title.

In the long run, it was Buckley who won by third-round doctor stoppage attributable to a nasty lower above Covington’s eye. Following the occasion, here’s what I believe ought to be subsequent for the welterweight contenders.

Joaquin Buckley

Joaquin Buckley was seeking to go 4-0 in 2024 as he started the 12 months dropping all the way down to welterweight and having fast success. Buckley was coming off a KO win over Stephen Thompson. He entered this bout in opposition to Covington because the betting favourite. Buckley fought effectively as he was in a position to land the extra damaging photographs and was in a position to defend the takedowns for essentially the most half. After touchdown damaging photographs, a lower was open above Covington’s eye which ended the battle attributable to physician stoppage.

Though Buckley profitable by physician stoppage does take a bit away from the win, it nonetheless was a press release win. Buckley is probably going a win away from a title shot after UFC Tampa. The battle to make is Buckley vs Kamaru Usman. If Buckley wins, he would get the following title shot after Shavkay Rakhmonov.

Colby Covington

Colby Covington suffered his second-straight loss at UFC Tampa. he’s now exterior the title image at welterweight title image. Covington was outmatched on the toes in opposition to Buckley and struggled along with his wrestling.

Covington is now in a bizarre spot as he’s effectively exterior the title picture at welterweight. His future could be very a lot up within the air. However, if he does battle once more a logical subsequent battle is to face Stephen Thompson. It’s a veteran battle as each Covington and Thompson are out of the title image and might be a Battle Night time essential occasion in 2025.