Joaquin
Buckley plans to retire after one more fight, citing the toll
his latest knockout loss took on his family.
Buckley (21-9) suffered his third consecutive defeat when Mike Malott
knocked him out with a knee in the second round of their UFC
Edmonton main event on Oct. 17. The loss followed decision defeats
to Kamaru
Usman and Sean
Brady.
Mike Malott knockout and third straight UFC loss prompt Joaquin
Buckley’s retirement decision
Buckley said the knockout particularly affected his grandmother,
who urged him to retire. After taking time to consider her advice,
“New Mansa” decided to step away from the sport, but he wants one
final opportunity to end his career with a victory. The 32-year-old
announced his plans on social media:
“That fight right there, that was devastating. And it really
affected my family, alright. Listening to my grandmother speak and
listening to her pray over the phone and really being upset. And
her telling me to retire and get away from fighting. It took a lot
for me to listen to it and digest it. But I took some time, I slept
on it, and I prayed to God, and I realized that my grandmother is
right. But with that being said, I told my grandmother just to pray
for me and allow me to grace the Octagon one more time… I gotta
save myself from any more mileage or any more damage. This is the
last one, but we gonna make our last one the best one.”