“New Mansa” has big plans for UFC Tampa.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley competes in his first UFC main event this weekend (Sat., Dec. 12, 2024) as he takes on former interim Welterweight champion Colby Covington, which goes down inside Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
Buckley has been flawless since moving to the 170 lb division in 2023. He’s racked up five straight wins with three finishes and became only the second fighter to knock out Stephen Thompson in his last outing (watch highlights).
Undoubtedly, the knockout artist is very close to a No. 1 contender fight. However, he plans to deliver a spectacular knockout that will leapfrog him over the next title challenger, Shavkat Rakhmonov.
“Man, I feel like I’m leapfrogging over Shavkat,” Buckley told reporters during UFC Tampa media day. “I feel like he’s injury-prone, too. I feel like he’s always getting injured, and something’s always wrong with him, so he might not even show up to the fight, and it might just be me and Belal next year. But then again, my performance has to speak for itself. I can’t just go out there and get my hand raised in a split decision. [If that happens] I don’t want the title shot. If I go out there and do what I know I can do – get the knockout of the year – yeah, I’m going to take my belt. It’s all I know.”
It will be tough to scramble the next UFC Welterweight title fight between Belal Muhammad and Rakhmonov. But if there is one person who can do it, Buckley could be him if he becomes the person who flatlines Covington.
“New Mansa” has a history of spectacular knockouts … like this.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Tampa fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN2/ESPN+ preliminary card bouts at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the ESPN2/ESPN+ main card start time at 10 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Tampa news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archives here and here. For the updated and finalized “Covington vs. Buckley” fight card and ESPN2/ESPN+ line up click here.