Joaquin Buckley delivered a commanding performance against Colby Covington in the UFC Tampa main event. However, the fight concluded on a somewhat anticlimactic note when the ringside physician halted the contest due to a gruesome cut on Covington's face.
The injury, which worsened as the fight progressed, raised concerns about potential damage to the former interim welterweight champion's eyelid, prompting the doctor to stop the fight in the third round.
Dana White shared his thoughts on the stoppage during the post-fight press conference. While acknowledging Buckley's dominant performance, the UFC CEO expressed disagreement with the decision to end the fight, suggesting the outcome might have been different under different circumstances.
No doubt that was a bad cut, but that fight doesn’t get stopped in Vegas,” White stated. “That fight keeps going in Vegas. 100 percent.
Listen, Colby’s an older guy who fights every once in a while. He’s always durable and tough. Did you hear the body shots he was taking tonight? And the head shots? Those would have stopped other guys. Colby’s tough, but I feel like he wasn’t too pissed about the stoppage. The cut was definitely bothering him.
White emphasized Covington’s resilience, noting that, despite the damage, "Chaos" remained competitive.
He’s obviously still one of the top-ranked guys. What we were saying about him all night — he took big shots and stayed in there. But I also believe if that fight’s in Vegas, that fight doesn’t get stopped with that cut. Still, I don’t think Colby was very upset when it did. The cut was bothering him.
While the fight's ending sparked some debate, Buckley’s victory underscored his status as a rising force in the division, with a performance that left no doubt about his dominance.