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UFC Tampa Preview - Covington vs. Buckley Best Fights & Full Card

Get to grips with the best fights and full card from the UFC this weekend.

Mathew Riddle

UFC

As UFC 310 concluded with the hyped showdown between Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov, we gear up for another potential welterweight title eliminator this weekend at UFC Tampa.

Following a complete career resurgence, 'New Mansa' Joaquin Buckley (20-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) stakes his claim as an elite contender when he takes on former interim champion and perennial challenger Colby 'Chaos' Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-UFC). It's a high-stakes fight, despite Covington remarking that Buckley does nothing for his career.

Along with the high-profile main event, UFC Tampa brings a stacked undercard featuring UFC veterans Cub Swanson, Michael Johnson, and Davey Grant, to name a few. Top prospects Felipe Lima and Joel Alvarez also fit the bill as they take considerable step-ups in competition.

Related - Colby Covington Names the One UFC Opponent He Hates the Most

UFC Tampa: Covington vs. Buckley event poster
UFC

UFC Tampa's 3 Best Fights (for Action-Lovers)

'The Savage' Takes on a 'Dangerous' Foe

UFC fighter Davey Grant
Davey Grant owns five UFC performance bonuses in 12 appearances. / Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

Fans can tune in to the action early as 'Dangerous' Davey Grant takes on DWCS alumnus Ramon Taveras.

By all rights, Grant could be on a three-fight streak if not for a controversial loss to Daniel Marcos, who also fights at UFC Tampa. The County Durham native is known for his kill-or-be-killed striking and danger from any position, evidenced by his inverted triangle submission over Raphael Assuncao in 2023.

Taveras is a striker and should look to keep the fight standing. Fans can expect a striking war since neither man will stop until somebody is dropped.

Lightweight Dark Horse Aims High

Joel Alvarez (21-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is a 6'3" lightweight with a 100 percent finish rate in 19 victories, need we say more? The Spaniard has recouped from only his second UFC loss at the hands of Arman Tsarukyan in 2022 with back-to-back finishes over Marc Diakiese and Elves Brener.

Joel Alvarez submitting Marc Diakiese
Jul 22, 2023; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Marc Diakiese (red gloves) fights Joel Alvarez (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at O2 Arena. / Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

Alvarez is an elite ground finisher who is coming into his own on the feet. His giant frame for the division allows lethal leverage on his kicks and elbows, but he has a stark task ahead of him in Drakkar Klose. Michigan native Klose is a slugger most well known for almost knocking out Beneil Dariush in 2022 before being on the receiving end of a highlight-reel finish.

After a two-year hiatus from the Octagon, Klose returned with a four-fight winning streak, including a finish by slam against Joe Solecki in December 2023. Expect fireworks as these two lightweights vie for a chance to fight for the rankings.

The Next Best Thing From New Zealand?

City Kickboxing's next prodigy, Navajo Stirling, is set to make his UFC debut after a stunning performance on 2024's Contender Series. 5-0 Stirling knocked out fellow prospect Phillip Latu with a crisp left hook.

As a training partner of former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, Stirling has heavy expectations. Standing in his way is London's Tuco Tokkos, a 10-4 finisher looking to get his first win in the UFC since debuting against the highly-touted Oumar Sy in May this year. This fight has all the makings of a showcase win for Stirling or a monumental upset from Tukkos.

UFC Tampa Full Fight Card

Here is the full announced lineup for UFC Tampa: Covington vs. Buckley. (Per Tapology, subject to change)

  • Piera Rodriguez (9-2) vs. Josefine Knutsson (8-0); Women's Strawweight
  • Davey Grant (13-7) vs. Ramon Taveras (10-2); Bantamweight
  • Miles Johns (15-2) vs. Felipe Lima (13-1); Featherweight
  • Sean Woodson (12-1-1) vs. Fernando Padilla (16-5); Featherweight
  • Drakker Klose (15-2-1) vs. Joel Alvarez (21-3); Lightweight
  • Michael Johnson (22-19) vs. Ottman Azaitar (13-2); Lightweight
  • Navajo Stirling (5-0) vs. Tuco Tokkos (10-4); Light Heavyweight
  • Daniel Marcos (16-0) vs. Adrian Yanez (17-5); Bantamweight
  • Dustin Jacoby (19-9-1) vs. Vitor Petrino (11-1); Light Heavyweight
  • Manel Kape (19-7) vs. Bruno Silva (14-5-2); Flyweight
  • Cub Swanson (29-14) vs. Billy Quarantillo (18-6); Featherweight
  • Colby Covington (17-4) vs. Joaquin Buckley (20-6); Welterweight

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with over five years of experience in digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMAKO in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on The Fight Fanatic, Heavy on UFC, Fansided, and Sportskeeda. Reach him at mr@thefightfanatic.com.

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