The UFC goes back to the Apex in Vegas this Saturday night. One of the featured fights is a welterweight match on the main card that may just play a role in the wide-open division. Joaquin Buckley, a dark horse contender in the welterweight division, takes on Andre Fialho. You may know Buckley for his spectacular back-kick knockout over Impa Kasanganay in 2020. This “two-touch” kick made Joaquin an overnight sensation while the replays went viral all over the internet.
Buckley does not rely only on his kick and Tae Kwon Do training. He has spectacular knockouts using his fists as well. A beautiful uppercut stopped Antonio Arroyo in the third round. Buckley has that type of strength late in the fight. He is now stepping down in weight class to 170, where he was before he was asked to join the UFC. Buckley was never really a true middleweight at 185 because he walks around near that weight. Come fight night, he was probably looking at fighters 20-25 pounds heavier than him.
The Opportunity Is There
This is Buckley’s opportunity at 170 pounds. The welterweight division is opening up. Leon Edwards just became champion and is denying fights. Kamaru Usman looks like a shell of himself. Colby Covington is 35 and has not fought in over a year. Belal Muhammed is waiting for a title shot. Khamzat Chiamev is forced to move up to 185 after his weight cut miss. Gilbert Burns has career-altering injuries from his previous fight. That is the top five. From five to fifteen, there are not many threats with the exception of Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov. Most of the others are out of their prime and just looking for a paycheck. If there is a division where we can see young fighters rise, it is the welterweight division.
Buckley is no stranger to opportunity and this move back down to 170 should be just what the 15-6 star needs to become a contender. He begins this new journey against 16-6 Andre Fialho. Failho has been knocked out in his last two outings after winning his previous two the same way. This is his first fight in 2023 after fighting five times in 2022. One thing is for certain, he goes in swinging. 13 out of 16 wins are by knockout with 12 of them coming in the first round.
Buckley can go punch for punch with Fialho, while also being more well-rounded. Buckley will shoot for a takedown and methodically break down his opponent. Do not expect him to try to finish Fialho quickly. After the first round, he will look for those opportunities to land an uppercut or a good knee to get another spectacular finish. With a bunch of movement going on in the welterweight division, look for Buckley to navigate his way up the ladder more easily than at middleweight.
Thank you for reading my UFC article. Head to my Belly Up Sports Page. Follow me on Twitter. For more articles on the UFC and all other sports go to Belly Up Sports.
