UFC legend backs Buckley over Covington in Tampa showdown

Michael Chandler believes Joaquin Buckley will finish veteran Colby Covington in the co-main event of UFC Tampa in Florida this Saturday.

“I think Joaquin Buckley goes out there, and I think he finishes Colby,” UFC legend Chandler said on Friday.

“I’d love to see Colby Covington get his block knocked off by Joaquin Buckley this weekend.”

Chandler criticised Covington’s decision to take time away from the sport, with the 36-year-old inactive from March 2022 to December 2023 and losing to Leon Edwards on his return.

“I mean, what an interesting decision,” he continued.

“You sit out for all those years, lose a title fight and all of a sudden you come back kind of on short notice against Joaquin Buckley.

“Colby’s not the smartest guy, he’s not the brightest bulb and we’ll see it on Saturday night.

“I think Colby just doesn’t have it anymore.

“I don’t really know if Colby ever really had it, to be honest with you, but we’ll see how it plays out.

“But I think Joaquin goes out there and gets his hand raised.”

UFC bookmakers< agree with Chandler’s assessment of the fight, putting Covington as a heavy underdog heading into the bout. [rm_geo_top_casino] has the fight priced at $1.40 to $3.00 in Buckley’s favour, with odds of $2.75 for Buckley to win by knockout. Chandler – who has lost four of his last five fights – indicated that he is open to fighting Covington after UFC Tampa. “Never say never when it comes to a fight with Colby,” he said. “I’ve made it very clear. I don’t like making 155 pounds, I love fights at 170. “To me, Colby is a 155’er who doesn’t want to cut much weight. “He isn’t a big guy, and I bet him and I weigh within a couple of pounds of each other when we are at our heaviest.”

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