Covington commented on the Buckley defeat

"We started a firefight at close range. I felt him slash my face, after which I stopped seeing. My vision was blurred and I saw three different people in the fight. At this point I had the thought, "Damn it, who do I hit?" I didn't know what to do. I was a little confused, but I knew I had to keep going.

I had to give the fans and the UFC a show. They pay their hard-earned money to come to this tournament. We're gladiators. I'm not going to stop. I had a feeling the initiative was going to go to me in the championship rounds. So it was a bad stop. The doctor became the one who beat me. I didn't concede to anyone else that night," Sherdog quoted Covington as saying.