Colby Covington announces UFC return against Joaquin Buckley: "They call. I answer"

Colby Covington is set to make his highly anticipated return to the octagon. He’ll face rising star Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Tampa on Dec. 14 at the Amalie Arena.

The announcement came after Buckley’s original opponent, Ian Machado Garry, was reassigned to UFC 310 to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov. Covington confirmed the matchup on Instagram, sharing the official fight poster alongside the caption:

“They call. I answer. America’s Champ is BACK December 14th in Tampa Bay 🇺🇸🦅.”

Check out Colby Covington's post below:

Covington last competed in December 2023, losing a decision to Leon Edwards in his third attempt to capture the undisputed welterweight title. Despite his mixed recent form, going 3-3 in his past six fights, Covington remains a marquee name in the division.

Buckley, on the other hand, has flourished since moving to welterweight, amassing a 5-0 record with notable victories over Vicente Luque and Stephen Thompson. Known for his striking power, Buckley has long sought a high-profile opponent, and now he gets his shot against Covington.

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Ian Machado Garry backs Joaquin Buckley to KO Colby Covington

Ian Machado Garry has voiced his frustration over Colby Covington, claiming the welterweight contender has been avoiding a fight with him for months. The Irish fighter was initially set to headline UFC Tampa against Joaquin Buckley but later shifted to face Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. Covington then stepped in to fight Buckley on short notice, further fueling Garry's criticism.

Taking to Instagram, Garry expressed his anger, accusing Covington of dodging a matchup. He further urged 'New Mansa' to knockout Covington on his behalf:

“This just shows he’s been ducking me for f*****g 7-8 months... signed for the baddest man in the division and this guy comes out of the shadows. He is a p***y, he’s a b*tch, and one day I will get my hands on him. Joaquin Buckley, I am behind you 100 percent of the way. Go out and put that man to sleep. Please and thank you. Do it for me because he’s not able to do it against me.”

Check out Ian Garry's post aimed at Colby Covington below: