Joaquin Buckley gives immediate reaction to Colby Covington doctor's stoppage, charts out UFC welterweight future in brief statement

Joaquin Buckley secured a hard-fought victory over Colby Covington at UFC Tampa on Dec. 14. The fight was stopped by the doctor due to a severe cut on Covington’s eyelid.

Despite Covington’s strong wrestling efforts in the second round, Buckley controlled much of the action, landing damaging strikes that left Covington bloodied.

Buckley opened strong, landing a right hand that caused a cut under Covington’s eye. By the third round, the former title challenger’s face was covered in blood, prompting a doctor’s examination.

With the doctor warning Covington about the potential risk to his eyelid, the fight was called off just before the round ended, handing Buckley his sixth consecutive win in the welterweight division.

In his post-fight interview, Buckley expressed mixed feelings about the stoppage, saying:

“I feel like my fight shouldn’t been stopped. It is what it is, you need to protect fighters first.”

Looking ahead to 2025, Buckley declared his intent to fight for the title:

"I feel like 2025 is definitely my year. We are definitely taking over, you know. With this being said, you know, this is [I am] on a six-fight wining streak... I got 8 knockouts within the UFC. I feel like I have done enough to really kind of put myself in the position... fight for that title. And even though I know that Shavkat is next... But if anything happens Shavkat or Belal does not step up into the octagon. I want to face them... I am definitely looking to take that throne [in] 2025."

Check out Joaquin Buckley's comments below:

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A look into Joaquin Buckley's career in UFC so far

Joaquin Buckley has made a name for himself in the UFC by delivering explosive knockouts and creating viral moments. Buckley's career has been a rollercoaster of exciting victories and hard-fought losses since his debut against Kevin Holland in 2020.

His iconic jumping spinning back-kick knockout of Impa Kasanganay in October 2020 is still one of the most memorable moments in MMA history, with over 65 million views across platforms and a Performance of the Night bonus.

Buckley followed up with impressive victories, including knockouts over Jordan Wright, Antônio Arroyo, and Albert Duraev, all of which earned him additional recognition.

Despite losses to Alessio Di Chirico and Chris Curtis, Buckley rebounded with victories over André Fialho, Alex Morono, and Vicente Luque, demonstrating his resilience and evolution.

Buckley's recent victories include a unanimous decision over Nursulton Ruziboev and a spectacular third-round knockout of Stephen Thompson at UFC 307, which earned him another Performance of the Night bonus. The latest victory against Covington has positioned him as a key figure in the division.