What does it take to keep going after the kind of injuries that would leave most people sidelined for life? If you’re Colby Covington, the answer seems to be pure grit and an unshakeable desire to compete. With an upcoming clash against Joaquin Buckley on December 14th at UFC Fight Night, Covington, ranked #6 in the welterweight division is stepping into the Octagon once again, despite a history of brutal injuries.

If you’re wondering when this all went down, the jaw injury happened during the December 15th, 2019, clash with Kamaru Usman. Yes, that’s exactly around five years to the day of his upcoming bout with Buckley. Coincidence? Perhaps. But for the California native, the date is a reminder of how far he’s come and what he’s endured to stay in the game. As fight fans gear up for this next bout, many are curious, will the former interim champ’s jaw hold under the heavy-handed power of Buckley?

When did Colby Covington break his jaw?

‘Chaos’ Covington’s infamous fight against Kamaru Usman at UFC 245 is a fight MMA fans remember for more than the thrash talk both fighters engaged in, leading up to the fight. It’s the fight where Colby Covington proved his grit after suffering a broken jaw in the middle of the fight but kept fighting.

“I knew something was wrong after the third round,” Covington reportedly told his corner during the fight. He wasn’t exaggerating. Medical reports later confirmed a non-displaced midline mandible fracture, a brutal crack from top to bottom.

But if you thought that would stop him, think again. The 36-year-old kept swinging, battling through excruciating pain until the fifth round, where Usman eventually secured a TKO victory. Even UFC CEO Dana White, who’s had his ups and downs with ‘Chaos’, couldn’t help but give credit where it was due. “For as big as his mouth is, and all the stuff that he talks, the guy can fight. He’s talented, and he’s tough,” White admitted.

And for fans, that night solidified one thing, Covington’s toughness. Sure, the injury sidelined him for six months, but it also cemented his place as one of the grittiest fighters in UFC history.

Covington suffered from a foot fracture at UFC 296

Fast forward to UFC 296, and the American found himself with another injury, this time, a fractured foot. Fans noticed something was off during his fight with Leon Edwards. He just didn’t seem like himself, and now we know why.

“I broke my foot right away and couldn’t plant or explode off of it to use the wrestling and pressure I planned to use,” Covington revealed in a post-fight interview with Submission Radio. “It was the first kick I threw, it landed right on his elbow.” X-rays confirmed a fractured foot, leaving fans with some answers about his underwhelming performance, which resulted in a unanimous decision loss. ‘Chaos’ admitted he didn’t want to disclose the injury until the X-rays came back, but he knew right away that it was serious.

So, here’s the question that’s on everyone’s mind – at age 36, how much more can Colby Covington’s body take? Between the broken jaw and the fractured foot, his resilience is undeniable, but is it enough to take on someone as explosive as Joaquin Buckley? As White said, “He’s going to have to go rest, take care of himself for a while, and then we’ll see what he wants to do.” But with Covington stepping into the Octagon once again, rest seems to be the last thing on his mind.

As Fight Night Tampa approaches, one thing is certain, whether it’s Buckley’s power or Covington’s resilience, something big is bound to happen. What’s your prediction for this high-stakes showdown? Let us know in the comments below.