UFC on ESPN 56 will mark the first time in almost eight years since Joaquin Buckley’s last fight in his hometown of St. Louis, so you better believe the rising welterweight is looking to, as he said, “turn up” Saturday night at Enterprise Center.
Buckley, No. 11 in the latest official UFC welterweight rankings, meets Nursulton Ruziboev in the UFC on ESPN 56 co-main event. Buckley believes he willed this homecoming into existence by calling for it after he TKO’d Vicente Luque to score the biggest win of his career just six weeks ago.
“That’s just how the universe works. When you speak things out and when you’re unafraid and confident and you actually work toward things, the universe will reward you.” Buckley told reporters at UFC on ESPN 56 media day. “Dana (White), obviously hearing that I wanted to fight in my hometown city and obviously having someone like me be on the card, he only knew that the numbers were gonna go up. I’m glad he took the opportunity by putting me on the card. Now we’re here, let’s go.”
