Joaquin Buckley has achieved the fastest accumulation of seven knockout victories in UFC history, doing so in just eight fights. The nearest competitors were heavyweights Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez, who needed nine fights. Out of 2,710 fighters who have competed in the UFC over 33 years, only 62 (2.29%) have achieved seven knockouts at all. Buckley also set records for the fastest 14 knockdowns in UFC history, accomplished in just 17 incomplete rounds, giving him the highest average knockdown rate per 15 minutes of fight time. Additionally, he earned seven Performance of the Night bonuses faster than anyone in UFC history, requiring only eight fights compared to the average of 15. The post suggests this represents one of the top three greatest eight-fight runs in UFC history and frames a potential matchup with Islam Makhachev as historically significant.
Joaquin Buckley, known as "New Mansa," has cemented his place in UFC record books by becoming the fastest fighter in the promotion's history to accumulate seven knockout victories, accomplishing the feat in just eight fights.
The 32-year-old American welterweight, who trains out of Murcielago MMA, carries a professional record of 21-8-0 and currently sits ranked eleventh in the division. Standing five-foot-ten with a 76-inch reach, Buckley fights out of a southpaw stance and lands 3.88 significant strikes per minute. The scale of his finishing ability is what separates him historically: across 33 years and more than 2,710 fighters who have competed in the UFC, only 62 — just 2.29 percent — have managed seven knockouts at all. Buckley did it faster than every one of them.
The previous benchmark was held by heavyweight legends Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez, who each needed nine fights to reach seven stoppages. Velasquez, a 43-year-old American Kickboxing Academy product who carries a 14-3-0 record, was himself a prolific finisher. Buckley surpassed both in two fewer outings.
The records extend beyond knockout totals. Buckley has recorded 14 knockdowns in just 17 incomplete rounds of action, giving him the highest average knockdown rate per 15 minutes of fight time in UFC history. He has also earned seven Performance of the Night bonuses in eight fights — a pace that eclipses the UFC average of 15 fights to reach the same milestone.
Why it matters
- Buckley's finishing rate places him among the most historically productive eight-fight runs the UFC has ever seen.
- A potential matchup with welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, a 28-1-0 southpaw and the number-one ranked pound-for-pound fighter, has been framed as historically significant given Buckley's recent trajectory.
- Makhachev brings elite grappling credentials — 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes — making any stylistic crossover with Buckley a stark contrast in finishing methods.
