Chael Sonnen had quite the response to one UFC lightweight after Colby Covington’s defeat at UFC Tampa.
Covington was making his octagon return against Joaquin Buckley at UFC Tampa on Saturday night after one year out.
UFC Hall of Famer Sonnen was in Covington’s corner for the bout, and walked him out to the main event clash alongside wrestling legend Hulk Hogan.
‘Chaos’ was bloodied up after going three rounds with Buckley, who was declared the winner via knockout after a doctor’s stoppage.
A brutal cut above Covington’s right eye started to cause him issues, before the UFC Tampa doctor called a stop to the fight.
This prompted a reaction from UFC lightweight Chase Hooper, who criticised one aspect of Covington’s game.
Hooper last fought at UFC 310 where he secured a first-round submission victory over Clay Guida.
He argued that ‘Chaos’ continuously undid the cutman’s work by touching his open wound over and over, which caused him to bleed again.
Hooper, 25, also blamed those in Covington’s corner, claiming they should have prevented the former interim welterweight champion from repeatedly touching his face.
“If I were Colby’s corner, I’d be screaming at him to stop touching the cut,” he wrote on X.
“He’s undoing the cut man’s work by immediately touching it. Had himself leaking again before the round started at UFC Tampa.”
However, Sonnen, who once fought Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title in 2013, wasn’t having any of Hooper’s response.
3
“Pipe down,” the 47-year-old said. “If I want your opinion I’ll beat it out of you.
“I’m kidding, but I’m not. No really, just playing but serious.”
Hooper then justified his statement in his reply to the former championship contender.
“Damn, you’re up early,” he said.
“Would never criticise the goat! Probably hard to see anyway since he was doing it right as you guys were leaving the cage.
“Just was bugging the hell out of me to see since I try to consciously not touch me face or blow my nose in fights.”
3
Covington was coming off a UFC title defeat to Leon Edwards last December in an attempt to climb back up the welterweight rankings.
‘Chaos’ has been chipping away at an attempt to secure undisputed gold in Dana White’s promotion, but has lost in three title fights over the last four years.
And the chase may now be over for the 36-year-old who was largely dominated by Buckley on the stand-up, before the UFC Tampa doctor called a stop to the fight.
Sonnen also talked about the bout in a YouTube video posted on Sunday, claiming he was going to throw in the towel had the doctor not called a stop to the fight.
“Colby was getting hit on his feet with everything you could do,” he said.
“I mean, he’s busted open so bad the doctor has to look at it three times.
“Twice, he stops the action to let it keep going. The third time he says: ‘Man, we can’t go anymore’. I was going to stop that fight.
“I already grabbed the towel. When the doctor came in for the third time and I’m watching that blood, It’s not stopping and it is going into the eye and that’s the only thing you’re really looking for.”
UFC President White reacted to the bout, saying he would’ve been curious to see it go the full five rounds.
He also added the fight ‘100 per cent’ should have continued, although he then said that Covington wouldn’t have been too bothered by the stoppage as his cut was ‘definitely bothering him’.
Buckley confirmed after the bout that his sights are now set on former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman for his next fight.
Edwards and current champ Belal Muhammad also on the list, as ‘New Mansa’ aims to challenge for UFC gold for the first time in his four years with White’s promotion.
UFC Tampa also witnessed Cub Swanson knock out Billy Quarantillo in the Fight of the Night, and Manel Kape was victorious over Bruno Silva in the last UFC card of 2024.