UFC welterweight star Joaquin Buckley will fulfill a promise to his grandmother following his scary knockout loss at UFC Edmonton.
Joaquin Buckley suffered one of the most brutal knockouts of the year at the hands of Mike Malott at UFC Edmonton earlier this month. Buckley, one of the most decorated knockout artists in UFC history, has lost three straight fights to former welterweight titleholder Kamaru Usman, Sean Brady, and Malott.
At 32 years old, Buckley is still in his physical prime and could potentially bounce back in his next fight and stop his losing skid. Before finding success in the welterweight division, Buckley had an up-and-down tenure in the middleweight division, earning viral knockouts and putting on highlight-reel moments.
Despite being in his prime, Buckley stole the headlines on Thursday when he announced that he’ll hang up the gloves and fulfill a promise to his grandmother.
Joaquin Buckley announces upcoming retirement: ‘This is the last one’
In a recent video posted to his Instagram, Buckley announced that his next UFC fight will be the last of his career.
“That fight was devastating, and it really affected my family. Listening to my grandmother pray for me over the phone, really being upset, and her telling me to retire and get away from fighting,” Buckley began.
“It took a lot for me to listen and digest it. I took some time, I slept on it, and I realized that my grandmother is right. With that being said, I just told her to just pray for me and allow me to grace the Octagon just one more time and have the strength to step out there one more time.
“I can’t leave on a loss,” Buckley continued. “With me already having 18 fights in the organization, in six years, I’m a workhorse. I gotta save myself from any more damage. This is the last one, and we’re going to make our last one the best one.”
As of this writing, an opponent, place, and time haven’t been announced for Buckley’s next fight in the Octagon. Buckley has earned an 11-7 record in his UFC tenure.
What is your favorite moment from Joaquin Buckley’s UFC career? Share your thoughts in the comments!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
