Former interim welterweight champion Colby Covington returns to the Octagon on Saturday night to face Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Fight Night Tampa.
This is Colby Covington’s first fight in almost exactly a year after his failed bid to challenge Leon Edwards for the welterweight belt last December. Joaquin Buckley is arguably the hottest fighter in the division and a dominating win on Saturday could be enough to earn his own shot at the belt.
Buckley is a -250 favourite to win on the MMA odds, while Covington is a +200 underdog.
Colby Covington UFC Tampa Odds
Covington has come up just short of claiming the welterweight belt three times, losing two title challenges to Kamaru Usman before his third shot ended in a unanimous decision loss against Leon Edwards last December. “Chaos” has been a force in the welterweight division, posting a 16-1 record in non-championship fights, but three title fight losses puts a stain on his legacy.
The longer this fight goes, the better the outlook for Covington, who has made it to the fifth round in seven straight fights, while Buckley has never fought past the third round. As the superior wrestler, look for Covington to game plan to get this fight on the canvas. He’s an elite grappler, boasting the second-most takedowns in UFC welterweight history (69), and his path to victory is to control the fight from the ground and win on points.
Joaquin Buckley UFC Tampa Odds
Buckley dropped from middleweight to welterweight last year and the results have been outstanding for the 30-year-old. “New Mansa” has won his first four fights in the division, two by KO and two by decision, capped off by a Performance of the Night bonus in his knockout victory over Stephen Thompson at UFC 307 in October.
Buckley is an dangerous striker with an ability to land big shots, and he’s an incredibly exciting fighter to watch, earning five career Performance of the Night bonuses. Buckley’s path to victory is clear. He needs to utilize his four-inch reach advantage and punish Covington early. Buckley hasn’t proven he can hang in championship rounds, so he needs to land a knockout shot early.
UFC Tampa Prediction: Covington vs. Buckley
This is a classic grappler vs. striker matchup. While Buckley is one of the most exciting fighters to watch in the division, he’ll have a tough test in a fighter as experienced and skilled as Covington. In a minor upset, I’ll take Covington to win by decision (+325).
