Who is UFC fighter Joaquin Buckley?
Joaquin Buckley is a prospect in the UFC's middleweight division.
The 27-year-old was born on April 27, 1994, in St. Louis, Missouri. He made his UFC debut in 2020 against Kevin Holland. Prior to that, 'New Mansa' fought in organizations like LFA and Bellator MMA.
Buckley currently holds a professional record of 14-4, with a total of 10 knockout finishes in his career so far. His stunning knockout of Impa Kasanganay in 2020 broke the internet as it became one of the most trending videos in combat sport.
Watch Joaquin Buckley's viral knockout finish: below
Buckley is a proven knockout artist. Three out of his four UFC wins have come via TKO. He is 4-2 in the promotion after six fights. 'New Mansa' is currently on a two-fight winning streak, having earned a split decision victory over Abdul Razak Alhassan in his last fight.
The 27-year-old is set to take on promotional newcomer Abusupiyan Magomedov in his next fight in June. 'Abus' has a professional record of 24-4-1 at the moment and has previously fought in organizations like PFL and KSW.
Joaquin Buckley recently interacted with Khamzat Chimaev and Darren Till
During the ceremonial weigh-ins at UFC 273, 'New Mansa' approached Khamzat Chimaev and Darren Till. He stated that he doesn't have to worry about 'Borz' now as the Chechen-born Swede is focused on the welterweight division.
However, Buckley did express a desire to fight Darren Till. 'The Gorilla' seemingly asked him if he was free in July and both guys reached a verbal agreement about a potential future fight.
As Buckley walked away from the scene, Chimaev asked Till, "Who is that guy?" The Liverpudillan replied, "I don't know." 'Borz' then shouted at Buckley, "Hey, let's fight now." They were separated by security, which stopped the situation from escalating.
Buckley is one of the most prominent rising stars in the UFC. He certainly made a name for himself with his viral 2020 knockout. With that said, it may have come as a surprise to many that Till and Chimaev were unable to recognize 'New Mansa'.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how Joaquin Buckley progresses in his UFC career.