Covington’s Tampa Media Day and Buckley Loss
Colby Covington’s appearance at UFC Tampa media day drew attention for comments about basketball star LeBron James. The press appearance preceded Covington’s welterweight main event against Joaquin Buckley on December 14, 2024, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
The video above preserves the media-day appearance. MMAWeekly’s contemporaneous report covered Covington’s criticism of James. The remarks were part of the promotional buildup; they did not determine what happened once the fighters entered the Octagon.
Covington vs. Buckley: UFC Tampa result
Buckley defeated Covington by doctor’s-stoppage TKO at 4:42 of the third round. The official UFC results identify the date, venue and finishing time. The outcome gave Buckley the headline victory on the final UFC card of 2024.
Covington brought championship experience into the matchup. He had won the interim UFC welterweight title by unanimous decision over Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 225 on June 9, 2018. That five-round victory remains a central milestone in the career documented on his official UFC profile.
The Tampa card also featured several other decisive finishes. Cub Swanson stopped Billy Quarantillo in the third round, while Manel Kape defeated Bruno Silva and Dustin Jacoby knocked out Vitor Petrino. Those results place Covington’s media appearance within the broader event: a welterweight headliner supported by action across multiple weight classes. For readers revisiting the buildup, the Buckley result provides the sporting conclusion to the week’s coverage.
