Dana White couldn’t see any fire of outrage in Colby Covington when the doctor waved off Joaquin Buckley in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 63 main event.

Former interim welterweight champion Covington (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) returned from a year-long layoff at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, and was slashed on his right eyelid by Buckley (22-6 MMA, 11-5). . 4 UFC) in the opening round. He tried to fight through, but the blood and damage got worse as the fight went on, and after several checks, the cageside doctor said nothing in the third round.

It’s the first time Covington has lost consecutive fights in his MMA career, and White said he believes “Chaos” understood how that fight actually ended.

“Listen, Colby is an older guy who fights every now and then,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters after the fight at UFC on ESPN 63. “He’s always durable and always tough.”… I also get the feeling that Colby wasn’t too upset that the fight was stopped by the cut. It definitely bothered him.

“It definitely bothered him, and as soon as the corner fixed it, he went back out there, ripped it open again, and let it bleed again.” That alone says that the cut really bothered him. “

Despite his observation that Covington, 36, did not protest the stoppage, White said he believes it would not have happened had the event been held at the UFC’s home base in Nevada. Still, White credited Covington for competing against the odds for so long.

“It was a bad cut, no doubt, but this fight won’t end in Vegas,” White said. “This fight continues in Las Vegas – 100 percent (it would have continued).

“Love him or hate him, the guy is a dog – tough. (He) delivered large blows to the body and head that would have knocked out many people. Colby is durable and tough, but if you cut yourself anything can happen.”

For more information on the card, check out MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.