Joaquin Buckley's Potential Opponents For His Farewell UFC Fight

After his recent UFC fight, Joaquin 'New Mansa' Buckley announced that his next fight will be his last one. 

The #12-ranked UFC welterweight fighter went fully locked in for the main event of UFC Fight Night in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. But in the 2nd round, his opponent, Mike Malott, landed a devastating knee that completely knocked out 'New Mansa'. 

This was Buckley's 3rd straight loss, which put his overall record at 21-9-0. In the wake of this brutal defeat, Joaquin, convinced by his grandmother and her tears, revealed that he'll be retiring from fighting. But he also mentioned that he won't go out on a loss. The 32-year-old said, "Buck got one more. Buck got only one more fight."

Joaquin has been one of the more exciting fighters in the UFC over the past 6 years. Now, since his last fight is coming up, who should he fight?

Here's my take on Joaquin Buckley's potential opponents for his farewell UFC fight:

Kevin Holland

Back in 2020, Buckley made his UFC debut against 'The Trailblazer'. Buckley got finished in that fight, but since then, he has built a prominent UFC resume with some exceptional knockouts. Surprisingly, the duo first fought at middleweight, and now they both sit a place apart in the UFC's top 15.       

Now add this to the story: After Joaquin's loss to Malott, Kevin dropped some funny pics on Instagram to mock him. Responding to this, yesterday Buckley posted a light-hearted meme of his own to describe their "beef".

This fight has two authentically entertaining personalities who are down to swing anytime, anywhere.

If Buckley wins this fight, then it'll be a really poetic end to his UFC career, because he gets to beat the one who beat him in his UFC debut and also gets an opponent who'll totally stand and bang with him.   

Uros Medic

This welterweight is on a dangerous run right now. Uros is the No. 9-ranked contender with 12 knockouts in his name. He is also an explosive striker like Buckley, riding a four-fight win streak, all first-round knockouts.

Uros is already booked to fight Kevin Holland at UFC 334, and either of them could become an interesting option for Buckley depending on their performance and timeline.

Daniel Rodriguez

'D-Rod' has been in the top 15 of UFC rankings for quite some time now, but a fight between him and Buckley never materialised. This is the time for UFC to make the fight. He's a high-volume striker who loves to keep the fight on the feet and bang it out. It'll be Joauqin's explosiveness vs Rodriguez's pressure. 

Rodriguez is reportedly set to fight Roberto Soldic at UFC 336, but it's not official yet. If that bout actually takes place, then the winner could be in serious contention for Joaquin's final UFC opponent.   

Roberto Soldic

Soldic is a highly experienced Croatian striker with 18 knockouts. The former two-division KSW champion has fought and finished people all over the world. In his fight against Daniel, Soldic might try to show the aggressive striking that he's known for.

If Buckley fights Soldic, then expect an action-packed showdown. Both of these fighters possess the kind of finishing instinct to end anyone on a given night.  

Geoff Neal

Geoff is a heavy-handed, high-level striker, so if he fights 'New Mansa ', then expect fireworks. Geoff has gone 1-5 in the last three years, but don't forget he is still the 'Handz of Steel'.

Again, this fight could've been made before considering their status in the welterweight division. But right now, UFC has the chance to put two veterans in the octagon, let them show their spectacular skills, and put on one last show for the fans.  

Who Should Be Joaquin Buckley's Final UFC Opponent?

Kevin Holland makes the most sense. It's an interesting fight, has an incredible story, and both fighters have a chance to gain a lot. For Joaquin Buckley, it's about getting back his first UFC loss and completing his journey in a full circle. For Kevin Holland, it's about getting a second victory over a savage contender and moving closer to a title shot.