Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley - AI generated fight pick

Colby Covington is favored in this matchup based on several key factors. Firstly, experience plays a significant role; Covington has been competing at a high level for longer, debuting in the UFC in 2014 and consistently facing top-ranked opponents. In contrast, Joaquin Buckley debuted in the UFC in 2020 and has less experience at the elite level.

Covington's fighting style relies heavily on his wrestling and relentless pace, which tends to wear down opponents. His average fight time is longer (17:05 compared to Buckley's 10:22), indicating a preference and capacity to maintain a high work rate over the course of the fight, potentially exhausting opponents who cannot match his pace.

Although Buckley has a higher knockout rate with 14 wins by knockout, Covington's takedown accuracy (44%) and takedown defense (68%) highlight his ability to control the fight and negate Buckley's explosive striking. Covington's significant strike accuracy (39%) and defense (55%) are on par with Buckley’s, but Covington tends to overcome opponents with volume and pressure rather than pure power.

Momentum-wise, Buckley is on a strong winning streak, demonstrating improvements in his striking game. However, Covington’s past performance against elite wrestlers and strikers in his division, combined with his higher ranking (#6 vs. Buckley’s #9), showcases his proven ability at a higher competitive level.

Overall, Covington's experience, wrestling advantage, and high-paced fighting style give him the edge in this matchup, making him the likely winner.