LAS VEGAS – Joaquin Buckley is looking for a fresh start at welterweight when he steps in the octagon at UFC Fight Night 224.
After spending his entire octagon tenure at middleweight, Buckley (15-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) became fed up with the mixed results and wants to prove he can be better. He is confident 170 pounds is where he’ll shine and is ready for his divisional debut Saturday when he meets Andre Fialho (16-6 MMA, 2-3 UFC) in a main card bout at the UFC Apex.
“I should’ve been here the whole time, but it is what it is,” Buckley told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 224 media day. “I came here for that check. That’s the only reason why I was at middleweight. They gave me an opportunity at 185 when they seen me fighting at 185 for LFA. So that’s why I stayed there. And me getting those knockouts at 185, I felt good there because a lot of people don’t realize I didn’t cut any weight to get to middleweight. I walked around at 185, 183. I was just able to walk into that cage and be me. Now I have to actually be disciplined at what I eat, my nutrition.”
