By ESPN | Created at 2024-11-16 14:18:20 | Updated at 2024-11-24 07:38:35
1 week ago
Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff WriterNov 16, 2024, 08:40 AM ET
- MMA columnist for ESPN.com
- Analyst for "MMA Live"
- Covered MMA for Las Vegas Sun
The UFC has added two welterweight matchups to its lineup in December, one of which includes the return of Colby Covington.
UFC CEO Dana White announced Friday that Covington (17-4) will face Joaquin Buckley (20-6) in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Dec. 14 in Tampa, Florida. Additionally, undefeated title contenders Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0) and Ian Garry (15-0) will square off in a five-round fight at UFC 310 on Dec. 7.
Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad was supposed to defend his title against Rakhmonov in the main event of UFC 310 in Las Vegas, but was forced to pull out this month due to injury. That prompted the UFC to replace Muhammad on the card with Garry, who was originally scheduled to face Buckley a week later in Tampa. The new matchup will serve as the co-main event of UFC 310. A flyweight title fight between Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura has been promoted to the headliner.
The UFC's decision to move Garry from the Dec. 14 event opened the door for Covington's return. The former interim champion has not fought since his unsuccessful title bid against then-champion Leon Edwards at UFC 296 last December. Covington, 36, has been relatively inactive in recent years, with just three total appearances since the start of 2021. Despite his inactivity, Covington is still ranked No. 6 in the UFC's welterweight division.
The winner of Rakhmonov and Garry will almost certainly earn the division's next title shot.
