Joaquin Buckley has announced that his next fight will be his last, saying he will retire from MMA after one more outing. The decision comes a week after he suffered his third straight UFC loss, a brutal knockout against Mike Malott in the UFC Edmonton main event. Buckley said he spoke with his grandmother and loved ones, who urged him to step away, but he wants to compete one more time rather than leave on a loss. No opponent or date has been announced for the farewell fight.
Joaquin Buckley has announced that his next fight will be his last, saying he will retire from mixed martial arts after one more outing. MMA Fighting reported the decision, which arrives a week after Buckley was knocked out by Mike Malott in the main event of UFC Edmonton.
Buckley said he spoke with his grandmother and other loved ones, who urged him to step away from the sport. He wants to compete one more time rather than leave on a loss. No opponent or date has been announced for the farewell bout.
The 32-year-old welterweight, nicknamed "New Mansa," stands 21-9 and is ranked 12th in the division. The Murcielago MMA product is a southpaw with a 76-inch reach who lands 3.62 significant strikes per minute at 36 percent accuracy. He also averages 1.43 takedowns per 15 minutes.
The Malott loss, a second-round knockout on October 17, was his third consecutive defeat. It followed a unanimous decision loss to Sean Brady at UFC 328 on May 9 and a five-round unanimous decision loss to Kamaru Usman on June 14, 2025.
Malott, 34, is 15-2-1 and ranked 10th at welterweight. The Canadian trains with Team Alpha Male and fights orthodox. He lands 4.02 significant strikes per minute at 48 percent accuracy and averages 1.63 takedowns and 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Victory over Buckley extended his own run: he also stopped Gilbert Burns by knockout in the third round on April 18, and beat Kevin Holland by unanimous decision in October 2025.
Why it matters
- Buckley's three straight losses came against opponents who all finished or outlasted him on the cards, ending a run that had made him a fixture in the welterweight top 15.
- The numbers show a clear gap in the main event: Malott outpaced Buckley by 0.40 significant strikes per minute and by 12 points of striking accuracy.
- Malott also holds a six-inch edge in height over the 5-foot-10 Buckley, though Buckley owns a three-inch reach advantage, 76 inches to 73.
- The UFC has not yet revealed who will face Buckley in his final fight.
