Statistics reveal that Joaquin Buckley has a 4-5 record in the UFC when he fails to complete a single takedown in a fight. His four victories without takedowns came against Colby Covington, Vicente Luque, Albert Duraev, and Jordan Wright, with all wins coming by stoppage. Notably, in every single fight Buckley has lost in the UFC, he recorded zero successful takedowns. The post questions whether Buckley will be able to complete at least one takedown against Shawn Brady this weekend. The data suggests a strong correlation between Buckley's takedown success and his overall fight outcomes.
A statistical breakdown circulating ahead of this weekend's card has spotlighted a striking pattern in Joaquin Buckley's UFC career: when "New Mansa" fails to complete even a single takedown in a fight, he goes 4-5.
Buckley, a 32-year-old welterweight out of Murcielago MMA, carries a 21-8-0 professional record and sits ranked eleventh in the division. The southpaw stands five-foot-ten with a 76-inch reach and generates 3.88 significant strikes per minute, though his striking accuracy sits at just 36 percent. He averages 1.54 takedowns per 15 minutes, a modest output that the numbers suggest carries outsized importance for his win-loss outcomes. The data reveals that every single UFC loss on his record came in a fight where he recorded zero successful takedowns, while his four no-takedown victories — over Colby Covington, Vicente Luque, Albert Duraev, and Jordan Wright — all ended by stoppage.
Luque, one of those stoppage victims, is a credentialed name in the welterweight division. The 34-year-old holds a 24-12-1 record and lands an impressive 4.83 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy, making Buckley's win over him without a takedown particularly notable. Duraev, the other verified opponent in the database, is a 37-year-old Russian fighter with a 16-5-0 record who averages nearly two takedowns per 15 minutes himself.
Why it matters
- Buckley faces Shawn Brady this weekend, making the takedown question immediately relevant
- Every loss in his UFC career has come without a successful takedown, suggesting grappling engagement may be a meaningful indicator of his performance
- His stoppage rate in no-takedown wins shows he can finish fights on the feet, but the overall record in those bouts is a net negative at 4-5
- Brady's grappling tendencies and defensive wrestling could be a key factor in how this pattern plays out
