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UFC Fight Night on Saturday did not go exactly as Colby Covington had planned.
Already an underdog in his bout against Joaquin Buckley, Covington got a brutal cut above his red eye, resulting in a ton of blood and a TKO victory for Buckley after a doctor stoppage.
Covington took the fight on short notice and was unable to get a full camp in leading up to the bout.
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Colby Covington prepares to face Joaquin Buckley in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
"It’s one fight, you know?" Covington said in a video on his YouTube channel. "And I’m more than just a fighter, you know? I’m gonna let this fuel me. I’m gonna get a full training camp. Came on short notice. This is for the company. This is for the fans. This wasn’t a full training camp."
However, he says there was one other reason why he lost.
Covington said he was too busy "campaigning" for President-elect Donald Trump, whom he has long been a supporter of.
"I was campaigning for Trump, you know, getting him ready," the fighter added. "I wasn’t even in the training room. I came off the couch on two-and-a-half weeks notice. It’s a tough ending to go like that. I feel like I was just getting my wind and I was going to come out strong, but, you know, it is what it is."
Colby Covington punches Joaquin Buckley in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Amalie Arena on December 14, 2024 in Tampa, Florida. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
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Covington also said in the video that the country is soon to see "the greatest four years in history."
"God bless America, God bless the Trumps. We're about to get the greatest president back in office. It's gonna be the greatest four years. I''m so excited. We're gonna have world peace, closed borders, inflation down. This money that I made tonight is gonna go farther, now," Covington said.
Covington once called Trump his "biggest role model." Trump has long been a fan of UFC, attending UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden shortly after winning the election, among many other events in recent months leading up to the election.
Colby Covington is seen on stage during the UFC 296 press conference at MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 14, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
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The fighter donned a MAGA hat during a press conference ahead of UFC 296, which Trump was also in attendance for. Covington said Trump was going to place the welterweight championship belt on Covington had he won the fight, but Leon Edwards retained his title.
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