5 fights to make after UFC Fight Night: Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley
The final UFC show of 2024 went down Saturday (December 14) night, and it turned out to be a lot of fun. Tampa, Florida was treated to some great finishes, including a star-making performance.
What's next for the big winners of UFC Fight Night: Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley, then?
This question can only be answered by the matchmakers, but title shots could well lie in the future for some of them.
Here are five fights to make following UFC Fight Night: Colby Covington vs. Joaquin Buckley.
#5. UFC bantamweight bout: Daniel Marcos vs. Aiemann Zahabi
Daniel Marcos picked up a win over Adrian Yanez last night to take his UFC record to 4-0-1, and his overall MMA record to 17-0-1. It wasn't without controversy after a double foul in the first round, but the Brazilian did impress.
With such a gaudy record and a win over a fighter once considered a blue-chip prospect, it's probably time for the Brazilian to take a step up in competiiton.
Therefore, a good fight for him next could be No.13-ranked bantamweight Aiemann Zahabi.
The Canadian has been around for a long time, but cracked the rankings this year with a big win over Pedro Munhoz. The win was his fifth in a row, taking his overall UFC record to 6-2.
Zahabi is a far more technical, methodical fighter than Yanez, and so he'd almost be guaranteed to give Marcos a different test entirely. If the Brazilian could pass it, then a move into the rankings - and possibly into title contention - could beckon.
Would this fight be a barnburner? Perhaps not, but from a rankings perspective, it'd definitely make sense.
#4. UFC light-heavyweight bout: Dustin Jacoby vs. Nikita Krylov
Despite coming into the bout as an underdog, Dustin Jacoby picked up a strong win last night, sparking out prospect Vitor Petrino in the third round of their contest.
Showing off his striking skills, 'The Hanyak' used a clean right hand to turn the lights out on his Brazilian foe, bouncing him further down the ladder in the process.
Jacoby should now climb back up a few rungs in his own right, and while it's unlikely that he'll crack the top fifteen, he should be worthy of fighting a ranked foe next time out.
One name who could make sense, then, is Nikita Krylov. 'The Miner' is currently ranked at No.8, and he's riding a three-fight win streak.
That might make him over-qualified to fight Jacoby, but the fact is that he hasn't fought since March 2023 now, with a scheduled bout for UFC 309 last month being canceled.
Therefore, Jacoby could be a good opponent for him to return against, while also offering 'The Hanyak' the step up he deserves. From every perspective, this fight could be a smart one to book.
#3. UFC lightweight bout: Joel Alvarez vs. Jalin Turner
While his fight last night was largely hidden on the preliminary card, it's getting harder and harder for the UFC to ignore Joel Alvarez.
'El Fenomeno' knocked out Drakkar Klose in pretty spectacular fashion last night, and was probably unlucky not to receive a $50k bonus for his efforts.
Not only was his win an impressive one, but it was also his 7th in his UFC career, with all seven of them coming by stoppage. In fact, the Spaniard has never gone the distance in any of his wins.
Basically, it's time to push him into a fight with a ranked foe, and so No.14 Jalin Turner might make a lot of sense.
'The Tarantula' hasn't fought since his loss to Renato Moicano at UFC 300, but would still provide Alvarez with his biggest test since Arman Tsarukyan, who beat him in 2022.
If Alvarez could overcome Turner, then he'd definitely be capable of moving into title contention in his own right. If there really is to be a UFC event in Spain in 2025, this fight would be perfect for it.
#2. UFC flyweight bout: Manel Kape vs. Kai Kara-France
Flashy flyweight striker Manel Kape could hardly have done much more to further his claim on a 125-pound title shot last night.
'Starboy' picked off opponent Bruno Gustavo da Silva with embarrassing ease, clowning him and abusing him with rapid-fire combos en route to a third round TKO win.
After his win, Kape unsurprisingly called out current flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja, but in his post-event press conference, Dana White was not exactly commital on that.
If Kape isn't to get a title shot, then, No.4-ranked Kai Kara-France could be a solid opponent for him instead.
'Don't Blink' is coming off a huge win over former title challenger Steve Erceg, but isn't quite in title contention thanks to his losses to Brandon Moreno and Amir Albazi.
Therefore, this would be a must-win for both men, with Kape desperate to claim a title shot and Kara-France looking to re-establish himself as a top contender in the division. It could easily be marketed as a title eliminator, and could headline a Fight Night event in 2025.
#1. UFC welterweight bout: Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman
After his win over Colby Covington last night, there can be no doubt. Joaquin Buckley is the real deal at 170 pounds.
Not only has 'New Mansa' now reeled off six straight UFC wins since moving to welterweight, but four of them have come this year alone. He's probably a contender for the Fighter of the Year, in fact.
Last night saw Buckley take 'Chaos' apart en route to his third round TKO win, hammering him with combinations that caused the fight-ending cut to the eye while avoiding his takedowns.
The win should elevate Buckley all the way into the top six, so who should be next for him?
One name instantly comes to mind, and that's Kamaru Usman.
The former welterweight kingpin has not fought since his 2023 loss to Khamzat Chimaev, and has not won since his own victory over Covington in late 2021.
Despite that, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' is still a top-level athlete with the power and wrestling to give anyone in the division a tricky time.
If Buckley is really capable of claiming the gold at 170 pounds, then beating an ageing but dangerous former champ like Usman would prove that he's ready. Therefore, this would be the perfect fight to book in early 2025.