Colby Covington fully acknowledges the gravity of Chael Sonnen’s revelation that he was moments away from throwing in the towel during UFC Tampa.
Earlier this month, Covington stepped into the Octagon against Joaquin Buckley in the main event of the final UFC Fight Night of 2024. From the opening bell to the fight’s dramatic conclusion, "Chaos" found himself overwhelmed by Buckley’s relentless onslaught, resulting in a TKO (doctor stoppage) defeat.
"New Mansa" unleashed brutal combinations that left Covington struggling to keep up. A vicious uppercut in the first round opened a deep gash above the former UFC interim welterweight champion's eye, causing a torrent of blood that worsened with every subsequent strike.
By the third round, referee Dan Miragliotta was compelled to halt the action, calling the Octagon-side doctor to assess the gruesome gash above Covington’s eye. After a brief evaluation, the doctor advised Miragliotta to stop the fight, deeming the injury too severe to continue.
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After the fight, Sonnen, who served as Covington’s cornerman, shared on his YouTube channel that, in light of the injury's nature, he was prepared to throw in the towel himself — if the doctor or referee didn’t take action first.
During a recent Twitch stream, "Chaos" reflected on Sonnen’s decision and expressed that he harbors no ill will toward his mentor. The 36-year-old Californian admitted that, while the moment was tough to swallow, he recognizes it as a well-judged call given the circumstances, no matter how challenging it may have been.
Chael cares about me. He’s a real one," Covington said. "If he was throwing it in, it’s because he knows that I couldn’t see. He knows that where the cut was at, it was bleeding into my right eye and I couldn’t see. I was seeing three of four different people.
He knew that I couldn’t see. So if he’s going to do it, it’s because he cares about me and he knows that I couldn’t see and that was going to be tough to overcome. I thought I was coming on stronger, and I feel like they were going to have to throw in the towel for Buckley by the end of round five. So it sucks, it’s unfortunate.
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Covington is currently navigating the most difficult stretch of his career, having posted a 2-4 record in his last six UFC bouts, which includes three defeats in high-stakes title fights.