BUCKLEY HAMMERS HIS WAY TO A BIG WIN 🔨
#UFCAtlanticCity pic.twitter.com/wt09AB2Wiz— ESPN MMA (@espnmma)
March 31, 2024
It was a strange sight to see Vicente
Luque pull guard during his co-main event showdown with
Joaquin
Buckley at
UFC on ESPN 54 on Saturday night.
After all, Luque is well-known for his finishing ability, as he
ranks second all-time in the UFC’s welterweight division in that
category with 13 career victories inside the distance. However,
with Buckley getting the better of their clash at Boardwalk Hall in
Atlantic City, New Jersey, “The Assassin” opted for a different
route, one which ultimately led to his demise. Once Luque pulled
guard, Buckley unloaded with a salvo of ground-and-pound that led
to the bout being halted at the 3:17 mark of Round 2.
“I laughed actually. I chuckled when he pulled guard,” Buckley said
at the post-fight press conference. “This whole time I was thinking
about Vicente. We all know he’s a talented fighter. I feel like
there’s a lot of times where he ends up in a situation, and he
tries to fight through.
“I felt like I could break Vicente Luque, and that’s exactly what
we did. It actually happened. I made him quit.”
According to Buckley, he didn’t get to show everything he wanted to
in the victory.
“It’s just wherever the fight goes, I’ll show everybody what my
weapons [are]. I have great wrestling, I’ve got great jiu-jitsu
that I still haven’t shown off yet. There’s a lot of striking
combinations that I haven’t been able to display,” he said. “I was
wishing to hit a certain combination on Vicente Luque, but he ended
up pulling guard and succumbing to the power.”
Buckley initially made his name for a viral knockout of Impa
Kasanganay in his sophomore Octagon appearance. He’s
experienced some ups and downs since then, but his current
three-bout winning streak has “New Mansa” trending upward in the
UFC’s welterweight division. The next objective is a spot on the
promotion’s event in his hometown of St. Louis on May 11.
“That’s the plan,” Buckley said. “We’ve got to talk in the UFC. I’m
open to fight in May. When I say I want to fight anybody and
everybody, that’s what I want to do. Everybody’s that’s above me
that’s in the rankings.”
When it comes to potential opponents, Buckley is keeping his
options open — with one notable exception. He is no longer
interested in a rematch with Kevin
Holland, who defeated Buckley in his promotional debut at UFC
Fight Night 174.
“I don’t want it back no more,” Buckley said. “He lost to [Michael
Page]. Damn poor child, you messed up the money. I was hunting
him down the whole time. I was trying to get the opportunity, he
didn’t want to give it to me. Now we’re just looking forward.”