Joaquin Buckley
Updated: 5/20/2026, 8:22:11 PM Wikipedia source
Joaquin Yuconri Buckley ( whah-KEEN; born April 27, 1994) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2014, he has also formerly competed for Bellator MMA and Legacy Fighting Alliance. As of February 3, 2026, he is in the UFC welterweight rankings.
Infobox
Born
Joaquin Yuconri Buckley (1994-04-27) April 27, 1994 St. Louis, Missouri, U .
Other names
New Mansa
Height
5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight
170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Division
Welterweight (2014–2018, 2023–present) Middleweight (2019–2022)
Reach
76 in (193 cm)
Fighting out of
St. Louis, Missouri, U .
Team
Finney's MMA (2012–present) Murcielago MMA (2020–present)
Years active
2014–present
Total
29
Wins
21
By knockout
4
By decision
4
Losses
8
Tables
Professional record breakdown · Mixed martial arts record
By knockout
By knockout
29 matches
By knockout
21 wins
15
8 losses
4
By decision
By decision
29 matches
By decision
21 wins
6
8 losses
4
| 29 matches | 21 wins | 8 losses |
| By knockout | 15 | 4 |
| By decision | 6 | 4 |
· Mixed martial arts record
Loss
Loss
Res.
Loss
Record
21–8
Opponent
Sean Brady
Method
Decision (unanimous)
Event
UFC 328
Date
May 9, 2026
Round
3
Time
5:00
Location
Newark, New Jersey, United States
Loss
Loss
Res.
Loss
Record
21–7
Opponent
Kamaru Usman
Method
Decision (unanimous)
Event
UFC on ESPN: Usman vs. Buckley
Date
June 14, 2025
Round
5
Time
5:00
Location
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Notes
Fight of the Night.
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
21–6
Opponent
Colby Covington
Method
TKO (doctor stoppage)
Event
UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Buckley
Date
December 14, 2024
Round
3
Time
4:42
Location
Tampa, Florida, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
20–6
Opponent
Stephen Thompson
Method
KO (punch)
Event
UFC 307
Date
October 5, 2024
Round
3
Time
2:17
Location
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Notes
Performance of the Night.
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
19–6
Opponent
Nursulton Ruziboev
Method
Decision (unanimous)
Event
UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Nascimento
Date
May 11, 2024
Round
3
Time
5:00
Location
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
18–6
Opponent
Vicente Luque
Method
TKO (punches)
Event
UFC on ESPN: Blanchfield vs. Fiorot
Date
March 30, 2024
Round
2
Time
3:17
Location
Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
17–6
Opponent
Alex Morono
Method
Decision (unanimous)
Event
UFC Fight Night: Dawson vs. Green
Date
October 7, 2023
Round
3
Time
5:00
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
16–6
Opponent
André Fialho
Method
TKO (head kick)
Event
UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill
Date
May 20, 2023
Round
2
Time
4:15
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Notes
Return to Welterweight.
Loss
Loss
Res.
Loss
Record
15–6
Opponent
Chris Curtis
Method
KO (punches)
Event
UFC 282
Date
December 10, 2022
Round
2
Time
2:49
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Loss
Loss
Res.
Loss
Record
15–5
Opponent
Nassourdine Imavov
Method
Decision (unanimous)
Event
UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa
Date
September 3, 2022
Round
3
Time
5:00
Location
Paris, France
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
15–4
Opponent
Albert Duraev
Method
TKO (doctor stoppage)
Event
UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Emmett
Date
June 18, 2022
Round
2
Time
5:00
Location
Austin, Texas, United States
Notes
Performance of the Night.
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
14–4
Opponent
Abdul Razak Alhassan
Method
Decision (split)
Event
UFC Fight Night: Walker vs. Hill
Date
February 19, 2022
Round
3
Time
5:00
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
13–4
Opponent
Antônio Arroyo
Method
KO (punches)
Event
UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann
Date
September 18, 2021
Round
3
Time
2:26
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Notes
Performance of the Night.
Loss
Loss
Res.
Loss
Record
12–4
Opponent
Alessio Di Chirico
Method
KO (head kick)
Event
UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar
Date
January 16, 2021
Round
1
Time
2:12
Location
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
12–3
Opponent
Jordan Wright
Method
KO (punches)
Event
UFC 255
Date
November 21, 2020
Round
2
Time
0:18
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Notes
Performance of the Night.
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
11–3
Opponent
Impa Kasanganay
Method
KO (spinning back kick)
Event
UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen
Date
October 11, 2020
Round
2
Time
2:03
Location
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Notes
Performance of the Night.
Loss
Loss
Res.
Loss
Record
10–3
Opponent
Kevin Holland
Method
TKO (punch)
Event
UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Oleinik
Date
August 8, 2020
Round
3
Time
0:32
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
10–2
Opponent
Jackie Gosh
Method
TKO (punches)
Event
LFA 87
Date
July 31, 2020
Round
2
Time
1:47
Location
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
9–2
Opponent
Chris Harris
Method
TKO (punches)
Event
LFA 76
Date
September 13, 2019
Round
1
Time
1:08
Location
Park City, Kansas, United States
Notes
Middleweight debut.
Loss
Loss
Res.
Loss
Record
8–2
Opponent
Logan Storley
Method
Decision (unanimous)
Event
Bellator 197
Date
April 13, 2018
Round
3
Time
5:00
Location
St. Charles, Missouri, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
8–1
Opponent
Vinicius de Jesus
Method
Decision (split)
Event
Bellator 185
Date
October 20, 2017
Round
3
Time
5:00
Location
Uncasville, Connecticut, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
7–1
Opponent
Justin Patterson
Method
Decision (unanimous)
Event
Bellator 175
Date
March 31, 2017
Round
3
Time
5:00
Location
Rosemont, Illinois, United States
Loss
Loss
Res.
Loss
Record
6–1
Opponent
Jackie Gosh
Method
TKO (punches)
Event
Bellator 164
Date
November 10, 2016
Round
1
Time
2:44
Location
Tel Aviv, Israel
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
6–0
Opponent
Chris Heatherly
Method
KO (knee)
Event
Bellator 157: Dynamite 2
Date
June 24, 2016
Round
2
Time
4:14
Location
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Notes
Catchweight (180 lb) bout.
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
5–0
Opponent
Kyle Kurtz
Method
TKO (knee and punches)
Event
Shamrock FC: Fuel
Date
September 11, 2015
Round
1
Time
4:34
Location
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
4–0
Opponent
Stacy Bacon
Method
Decision (unanimous)
Event
Shamrock FC: Throwdown
Date
July 25, 2015
Round
3
Time
5:00
Location
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
3–0
Opponent
Kalel Robinson
Method
TKO (punches)
Event
Shamrock FC: Showdown
Date
March 21, 2015
Round
3
Time
4:01
Location
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
2–0
Opponent
Bryant West
Method
TKO (punches)
Event
Shamrock FC: Xtreme Fight Night 2
Date
February 21, 2015
Round
1
Time
2:28
Location
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Win
Win
Res.
Win
Record
1–0
Opponent
Wesley Sullivan
Method
TKO (punches)
Event
Shamrock FC: Nemesis
Date
September 13, 2014
Round
1
Time
3:46
Location
St. Louis, Missouri, United States
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 21–8 | Sean Brady | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 328 | May 9, 2026 | 3 | 5:00 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | |
| Loss | 21–7 | Kamaru Usman | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Usman vs. Buckley | June 14, 2025 | 5 | 5:00 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 21–6 | Colby Covington | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Buckley | December 14, 2024 | 3 | 4:42 | Tampa, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 20–6 | Stephen Thompson | KO (punch) | UFC 307 | October 5, 2024 | 3 | 2:17 | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 19–6 | Nursulton Ruziboev | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Nascimento | May 11, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 18–6 | Vicente Luque | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Blanchfield vs. Fiorot | March 30, 2024 | 2 | 3:17 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 17–6 | Alex Morono | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Dawson vs. Green | October 7, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 16–6 | André Fialho | TKO (head kick) | UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Hill | May 20, 2023 | 2 | 4:15 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Welterweight. |
| Loss | 15–6 | Chris Curtis | KO (punches) | UFC 282 | December 10, 2022 | 2 | 2:49 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 15–5 | Nassourdine Imavov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa | September 3, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Paris, France | |
| Win | 15–4 | Albert Duraev | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Emmett | June 18, 2022 | 2 | 5:00 | Austin, Texas, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 14–4 | Abdul Razak Alhassan | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Walker vs. Hill | February 19, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 13–4 | Antônio Arroyo | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann | September 18, 2021 | 3 | 2:26 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 12–4 | Alessio Di Chirico | KO (head kick) | UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar | January 16, 2021 | 1 | 2:12 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Win | 12–3 | Jordan Wright | KO (punches) | UFC 255 | November 21, 2020 | 2 | 0:18 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 11–3 | Impa Kasanganay | KO (spinning back kick) | UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen | October 11, 2020 | 2 | 2:03 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 10–3 | Kevin Holland | TKO (punch) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Oleinik | August 8, 2020 | 3 | 0:32 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 10–2 | Jackie Gosh | TKO (punches) | LFA 87 | July 31, 2020 | 2 | 1:47 | Sioux Falls, South Dakota, United States | |
| Win | 9–2 | Chris Harris | TKO (punches) | LFA 76 | September 13, 2019 | 1 | 1:08 | Park City, Kansas, United States | Middleweight debut. |
| Loss | 8–2 | Logan Storley | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 197 | April 13, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | St. Charles, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 8–1 | Vinicius de Jesus | Decision (split) | Bellator 185 | October 20, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | |
| Win | 7–1 | Justin Patterson | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 175 | March 31, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Rosemont, Illinois, United States | |
| Loss | 6–1 | Jackie Gosh | TKO (punches) | Bellator 164 | November 10, 2016 | 1 | 2:44 | Tel Aviv, Israel | |
| Win | 6–0 | Chris Heatherly | KO (knee) | Bellator 157: Dynamite 2 | June 24, 2016 | 2 | 4:14 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | Catchweight (180 lb) bout. |
| Win | 5–0 | Kyle Kurtz | TKO (knee and punches) | Shamrock FC: Fuel | September 11, 2015 | 1 | 4:34 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 4–0 | Stacy Bacon | Decision (unanimous) | Shamrock FC: Throwdown | July 25, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Kalel Robinson | TKO (punches) | Shamrock FC: Showdown | March 21, 2015 | 3 | 4:01 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Bryant West | TKO (punches) | Shamrock FC: Xtreme Fight Night 2 | February 21, 2015 | 1 | 2:28 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Wesley Sullivan | TKO (punches) | Shamrock FC: Nemesis | September 13, 2014 | 1 | 3:46 | St. Louis, Missouri, United States |
References
- ufcstatshttp://ufcstats.com/fighter-details/b9437600497350f3
- knucklejunkieshttp://www.knucklejunkies.com/articles/Young_Buck_Finneys_Next_Big_Thing.php
- MMAjunkiehttps://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/11/ufc-255-joaquin-buckley-eyes-another-spectacular-knockout-jordan-wright
- Listen Noteshttps://www.listennotes.com/nl/top-podcasts/joaquin-buckley/
- wwwhttps://www.ufc.com/rankings
- MMAjunkiehttps://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2015/03/fight-path-joaquin-buckley-finds-support-from-new-family-at-finneys-mma-gym
- MMA Junkiehttps://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2018/04/bellator-197-results-logan-storley-grinds-out-joaquin-buckley-for-unanimous-decision
- "Kevin Holland vs. recent LFA winner Joaquin Buckley a late addition to UFC on ESPN+ 32"https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/08/kevin-holland-vs-joaquin-buckley-ufc-on-espn-plus-32-lfa
- Cageside Presshttps://cagesidepress.com/2020/08/08/ufc-vegas-6-results-kevin-holland/
- "Abu Azaitar faces Joaquin Buckley at UFC event on Oct. 10"https://mmadna.nl/abu-azaitar-treft-joaquin-buckley-tijdens-ufc-evenement-op-10-oktober/
- "Impa Kasanganay replaces Abu Azaitar at UFC on ESPN+ 37, takes on Joaquin Buckley"https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2020/09/impa-kasanganay-replaces-abu-azaitar-at-ufc-on-espn-37-takes-on-joaquin-buckley
- MMA Fightinghttps://www.mmafighting.com/2020/10/10/21511012/ufc-fight-island-5-video-joaquin-buckley-knocks-out-impa-kasanganay-jaw-dropping-spinning-heel-kick
- ESPNhttps://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/30344581/inside-viral-knockout-made-ufc-middleweight-joaquin-buckley-immortal
- "Kanye West Pays Tribute To Joaquin Buckley's Viral UFC Knockout"https://www.awesemo.com/sideaction/kanye-west-pays-tribute-to-joaquin-buckleys-viral-ufc-knockout/
- MMA DNAhttps://mmadna.nl/mr-viral-joaquin-buckley-boekt-partij-tegen-jordan-wright-op-21-november-tijdens-ufc-255/
- Cageside Presshttps://cagesidepress.com/2020/11/21/ufc-255-results-joaquin-buckley/
- MMA Newshttps://www.mmanews.com/ufc-255-bonuses-two-fighters-nab-performance-checks/
- MMA DNAhttps://mmadna.nl/joaquin-buckley-vs-alessio-di-chirico-toegevoegd-aan-ufc-fn-184-in-abu-dhabi/
- Cageside Presshttps://cagesidepress.com/2021/01/16/ufc-fight-island-7-results-joaquin-buckley-vs-alessio-di-chirico/
- MMA Junkiehttps://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2021/07/ufc-news-joaquin-buckley-vs-antonio-arroyo-september-18