Joaquin Buckley might not have had a name to call out in his post-fight interview, but he’s definitely got one now.
After Thunderous TKO Victory, Joaquin Buckley Wants This Grizzled Vet
After moving from middleweight last year, ‘New Mansa’ has found a new life in the welterweight division. Buckley has won three in a row at 170lbs, turning in a lifetime performance, a TKO stoppage against perennial contender Vicente Luque at UFC Atlantic City this weekend.
Joaquin Buckely fought his way into the top 15 welterweights after last night's win
Who do you want to see @NewMansa94 in the Octagon with next? #UFCAtlanticCity pic.twitter.com/HhhRcmIN1F
— UFC (@ufc) March 31, 2024
Buckley expects a ranking by his name this week and a main event spot in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The upcoming fight night is set to occur on May 11th, with Derrick Lewis and Rodrigo Nascimento as the two men on the marquee. However, the heavyweight headliner has been met with much backlash, with fans begging for a better fight.
Time will tell if their wishes will be granted.
“They will switch it up,” Buckley said of the current UFC St. Louis main event at the UFC Atlantic City post-fight press conference. “If I fight in Saint Louis, they gonna have to switch it up and put me as the main event. 5 rounds.”
It takes two to tango and the rising Buckley believes he’s found the right dance partner for what could be his first main event slot in the UFC.
“Hey @gilbert_burns come pick yo mans up,” Buckley wrote on Instagram on Sunday.
Kill Cliff FC’s Gilbert Burns is a teammate of Vicente Luque, who Buckley just pulverized with punches in A.C. The former title challenger fell to #6 in the rankings after being TKO’ed by Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 299 earlier this month.
Buckley aims to send ‘Durinho’ further down the rankings and boost himself with an ever-bigger win, this time with his home crowd backing him. However, May could be too soon for Burns to return, with his last result ending the way it did in Miami.
Wherever it may be, is Gilbert Burns vs. Joaquin Buckley the next fight to make?
