Sean Brady defeated Joaquin Buckley by unanimous decision with scores of 30-25, 30-25, and 30-27. Brady controlled the fight for 12 minutes and outstruck Buckley 245 to 21 in total strikes. The victory improves Brady's UFC record to 9-2 and represents a bounce-back win after his loss to Michael Morales. Buckley suffers his second consecutive defeat and now holds a 6-2 record at welterweight. The performance was described as total domination by Brady.
Sean Brady returned to the win column in emphatic fashion on May 10, 2026, submitting Joaquin Buckley to the judges with a unanimous decision that saw scorecards of 30-25, 30-25, and 30-27 in a welterweight contest.
Brady, ranked seventh at 170 pounds, brought his overall record to 19-2-0 with the performance. The 33-year-old American out of Renzo Gracie Philly has built his reputation as a relentless pressure wrestler, and those tendencies were on full display. He averages 3.53 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands strikes at 55 percent accuracy, and against Buckley he turned those tools into total control, keeping the fight in the grappling realm for 12 of the 15 minutes and finishing with a striking differential of 245 to 21 in total strikes. It was a necessary bounce-back victory after Brady dropped a decision to the undefeated Michael Morales, currently ranked second in the division at 19-0-0.
Buckley, known as "New Mansa" and ranked 11th in the welterweight division, now sits at 21-8-0 overall and 6-2 inside the UFC's 170-pound weight class. The 32-year-old southpaw out of Murcielago MMA carries a 76-inch reach and generates 3.88 significant strikes per minute, but his 36 percent striking accuracy left him vulnerable once Brady closed the distance and dictated where the fight took place. The loss extends his skid to two consecutive defeats.
Why it matters
- Brady's dominant showing strengthens his case for a higher-profile welterweight assignment after dropping a step back against Morales
- Buckley's second straight loss raises questions about his positioning at number 11 in the division and whether a ranking drop follows
- The grappling-versus-striker style matchup played out exactly as Brady's game plan demanded, with Buckley's reach advantage rendered irrelevant on the ground
