Buckley caps off night of big knockouts with Bloody domination of Covington
Joaquin Buckley was cover in Colby Covington’s blood when the when the doctor entered to check on Covington’s mangled right eye.
The fight wasn’t a snowballing effect it was an avalanche on Colby Covington. Shut down on his early takedown attempts and was cut open in his right eyebrow from a short right uppercut. The blood was a major issue as Covington kept pawing at it. Buckley put a head snapping jab on Covington adding in vicious shot to the body. The puddle of blood around Covington’s rights eye forces a doctor stoppage.
The win should rise Buckley position in the rankings and could put him one win away from a title shot.
At 41 years old this could be the last time we see Cub Swanson fighting inside the octagon and if this is our lasting memory he left us with an epic image. Through two close rounds Swanson was in the lead as Billy Quarantillo’s low lead hand was a welcome mat for Swanson’s straight punches. Quarantillo had his moments scoring with right hands but not drawing the same stubble as when Swanson would land. A sharp jab followed by a laser right cross swung Quarantillo’s jaw from shoulder to shoulder and toppling him for the finish.
In a wide open flyweight division winning isn’t good enough you have to ad style on top to get noticed. It was a very stylish performance for Manel Kape who stopped Bruno Silva in the third round a hailstorm of strikes. Bruno Silva wasn’t able to get much done against Kape. The Brazilians most impactful strikes were three teap kicks that strayed below the belt line. Kape went deep into his bag of tricks with faints and fakes that included dribbling and imaginary ball, brushing his shoulders off and dropping levels like a break dancer. The smooth moves would be followed by flurries sharpe rights and heavy hooks. A kick on the belt line followed by a flurry would send Silva back to the fence. A elbow from over top crumbling Silva for the finish.
A slow paced chess match came to an explosive finish as Dustin Jacoby scored and epic one punch comeback knockout win over Vitor Petrino. Both men were taking their time and picking their shots to the displeasure of the crowd. A couple rights here and there telling like the difference maker for Petrino. The fight felt like is was going to drag its feet to the score cards when Jacoby launched a right hand missile that detonated on the chin of Petrino putting him out.
At 17-0 Daniel Marcos feels he ready to tackle the rankings. Marcos improved to 4-0 in the UFC after a split decision win over Adrian Yanez. The affair played out primarily as a striking matchup. A couple right hands making the difference for Marcos early. Yanez quickening the pace was back in the fight in the second. A pair of takedowns in the third secured the decision. After the fight Marcos called his shot challenging former UFC champion Jose Aldo.
It be easy to have mixed feelings about official debut of Navajo Striling. On the bright side the unbeaten prospect showed a variety of striking and was creative with them. In the first round he had Tuco Tokkos stuck in the fence and it felt like target practice. Tokkos with three times as much experience dug into his bags of tricks forcing more grappling scenarios over the final ten minutes. While Strilings inexperience was on display in moments he gained valuable reps and cage time all the mean time keeping his record spotless.
The competition for post fight bonuses suddenly became very steep as the prelims ended with three jaw dropping knockouts.
Michael Johnson concluded the prelims by turning out the light on Ottoman Azitar. After having little success on the outside in the first round Azitar was determined to get in closer. Crash in a Johnson right hooks landed on target and then a second dressing Azitar’s feet and sending him into a face plant for the 2nd round finish.
Joel Alvarez has a flare for the dramatic and a sixth sense for when blood is in the water. The 100% finishing rate is still intact after knocking out Dakkar Klose. The Spaniard stunned Klose with a left hook and followed him back to the fence with a jump knee that knocked him out but the fight continues at Alvarez caught close and fed him several right hands before the ref could jump in. During this three-fight win streak has shown to have sured up some loose ends in his game.
A close mouth doesn’t get fed in the UFC, but sometimes a loud statement can be made without any words. Sean Woodson is now on a four-fight win streak after a knockout of Fernando Padilla in the closing seconds of the first round. Woodson worked his way away from the heavy pressure of Padilla getting to a range where he could put a pop on his punches. A right uppercut popping Padilla’s head back. Three shots later a left hook sends Padilla to the mat like a tree falling over in the woods. The statement has been received Sean Woodson is ready for ranked opposition.
A three fight win streak had positioned Miles Johns for the biggest fight of his career against former UFC Bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt. In October and November the fight was scheduled and cancelled. With the two wasted fight camps and a desire to compete once more in the calendar. John took a major risks in facing a relative unknown in Felipe Lima.
Lima would walk down Johns landing powerful hooks. The leet feet of Lima wouldn’t allow Johns to slug it out as he was attempting. In the third Lima would show his grappling getting Johns back and making a serious attempt at rear naked choke. Two short notice wins in a row for Lima has many wondering what he’ll look like with a full camp to prepare.
A spot in the women’s flyweight ranking has to be coming for Miranda Maverick. “Danger” ran off her fourth win in a row defeating Jayne Lyn-Horth by unanimous decision. An active clinch game gave Maverick the lead. Horth battled back in the second reversing Maverick and having a rear naked choke attempt. Getting on top for half of the third round secure a third decision win in a row.
Davey Grant returned from a year and a half away from competition to hand Ramon Tavares a unanimous decision loss. Grants kicking game kept Tavares from setting up his combinations in the first. Tavares had a much better more effective second round landing several solid left but only one of the judges felt it was his round. Grant launched a full offensive attack in the third constantly throwing ok by kicks punches not allowing Tavares to set up.
After two years Piera Rodriguez is back in the win column. Rodriguez won a unanimous decision over Josifine Knutsson. Even with being cut open by and elbow in the second round Rodriguez was clearly in control for the moment she sat down Knutsson in the first round. Proving that she was the better wrestler spending much of the fight on top was icing on the cake.
About The Author
