Gilbert Burns believes Joaquin Buckley may face significant challenges when he steps into the Octagon against Colby Covington. The highly anticipated fight is set to headline this Saturday's UFC Fight Night at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
Burns reflected on Buckley’s 2018 loss to Logan Storley at Bellator 197, a bout that took place in a higher weight class. The Brazilian thinks Storley’s dominant wrestling performance in that fight offers insight into how Covington might approach the matchup.
I think Buckley’s in the best momentum right now, but (wrestling is) Buckley’s kryptonite,” Burns explained during an interview on Submission Radio. “One of my favorite teammates is Logan Storley — he was the interim Bellator champ. He fought Buckley and just outwrestled him. Logan took him down, beat him up with ground-and-pound, and did it over and over. That’s something Colby can really do.
Since moving down to welterweight, Buckley has built an impressive 5-0 record, including a knockout victory over Stephen Thompson at UFC 307 in October.
Despite "New Mansa's" recent momentum, however Burns predicts Covington’s relentless pace and wrestling prowess could give him the upper hand, especially in the later rounds.
Colby might give a lot of problems to Buckley, taking him down repeatedly with that crazy pace,” Burns noted. “Buckley’s a big guy with a lot of muscle. If Buckley cannot put Colby out in the first or second round, I think Colby will overwhelm him. Colby could win with a dominant decision, but Buckley could also score a quick knockout early in the fight.
The clash between Buckley’s power and Covington’s endurance promises to deliver a high-stakes battle.