Colby Covington’s week went from bad to worse yesterday as he suffered his second defeat in a matter of days.
On Saturday, he was brutalised by Joaquin Buckley before doctors stopped their UFC Tampa main event due to a gruesome cut over his right eye. He insists that had the fight been allowed to continue that he was turning things around, and promotional boss Dana White reckons in a different state it would have.
However, he has now lost two in a row and dropped down to a low of ninth in the welterweight rankings. And his week got even worse when he was eliminated from the World Series of Poker just hours after his loss in Florida.
Colby Covington was brutally stopped by Joaquin Buckley
After a year almost to the day since his latest effort at the 170lb world title against Leon Edwards, Colby Covington made his return to the octagon on Saturday night. He took the fight with Joaquin Buckley on short notice after Ian Machado Garry was drafted in to save UFC 310 a week prior.
And the controversial former champion appeared to need a few minutes to dust off cobwebs, starting at a rare slow pace while Buckley seemed to land at will. And after a failed effort at a takedown in the first round, he suffered a cut that proceeded to worsen throughout the fight.
By the end of the second round, doctors had examined the cut and warned Covington that if it worsened at all the fight would be stopped. And once the fight returned to the feet towards the end of the third, referee Dan Miragliotta called them back in to check it again.
The ringside physician made a chilling prediction that he might lose his eye lid if the fight continued, and the bout had to be stopped. It was a frustrating end to the UFC’s year, and saw Covington slide further down the ranks.
Dana White believes UFC Tampa fight may not have been stopped in another State
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White argued that whilst the injury was cause for concern, the fight would likely have continued had they been in Nevada. Florida does get regular combat events, but not at the same rate as Nevada were the majority of major shows take place.
“I was curious to see how it would go if it had gone five rounds, there’s no doubt that it was a bad cut,” he told the media after the fight. “But that fight doesn’t get stopped in Vegas – that fight keeps going in Vegas, 100%.”
“Love him or hate him, the guy’s a dog, f**** tough as nails, took big shots to the body, big shots to the head that would have knocked a lot of people out… Colby’s durable and tough, but when you get cut, anything can happen.
“It was definitely bothering him, and literally as soon as the corner would fix it, he’s waiting to walk back out and he rips it open again, makes it start bleeding again… That alone tells you that the cut was bothering him big time.
“Listen, Colby’s an older guy who fights every once in a while, he’s always durable and always tough… Did you hear the body shots he was getting hit with tonight, and the head shots he took?
“That stuff would have stopped other guys, Colby’s tough, but I also feel like Colby wasn’t too p***** that that fight got stopped by the cut.”
After suffering horror injury, Colby Covington loses at World Series of Poker
Imemdiately after losing the fight, Covington headed to the Bahamas for the World Series of Poker’s big event at the Atlantis Paradise Island. The tournament would see a $50million guaranteed winner of the Super Main Event.
However, pretty soon after arriving the UFC star found himself eliminated from the tournament. It’s unclear what hand saw him lose, but donning sunglasses, large headphones, a Nike tracksuit and a hat with the Bang Energy logo, he quickly got up and left the hall.
Fans were quick to poke fun at the former champion for his latest defeat, with one joking that “The WSOP social team definitely said knocked out on purpose.” Covington is an established player, and has competed at a very high level during his times away from training.
He streams his gambling exploits with online casinos to a large audience on Twitch, where he discusses his career and plays games with fans.
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