Sonnen Defends Doctor’s Stoppage in Tampa
Chael Sonnen said he was ready to throw in the towel for Colby Covington before a doctor stopped Covington’s bout with Joaquin Buckley at the Tampa event on December 14, 2024. The official result was a technical knockout by doctor’s stoppage at 4:42 of the third round.
In a video posted the following day, Sonnen described being in Covington’s corner and said the doctor examined the cut three times, allowing the bout to continue after the first two checks. Sonnen said that by the third examination he was watching blood enter Covington’s eye and had already reached for the towel. That is Sonnen’s account as a cornerman; the official result records a doctor’s stoppage, not a separate medical diagnosis about lasting harm to Covington’s vision.
Sonnen said he was ready to stop the fight because of the cut and its potential effect on Covington’s vision. The official result was a doctor-stoppage TKO at 4:42 of Round 3.
Sonnen’s account distinguishes his own willingness to stop the fight from the doctor’s official decision. He said the doctor allowed the bout to continue after two checks, then stopped it after another look at the cut. The result remains a doctor-stoppage TKO; Sonnen’s description explains what he saw from Covington’s corner.
Sources: official scorecards and result; Covington and Sonnen’s post-fight comments; Sonnen’s December 15 video.
Sources
Tags: MMA
