Joaquin Buckley Announces Next Fight Will Be His Last Following UFC Edmonton Loss

Joaquin Buckley plans to close the chapter on his mixed martial arts career after one more walk to the Octagon. The welterweight contender announced Thursday on social media that he intends to retire following his next bout, arriving at the decision after consulting with his grandmother and family members in the wake of his recent defeat.

Buckley suffered his third consecutive UFC loss last weekend, falling via knockout to Mike Malott in the main event of UFC Edmonton. The defeat dropped Buckley out of the welterweight title picture and prompted deep reflection among his inner circle. Buckley shared that the devastating nature of the loss deeply impacted those closest to him, leading to emotional conversations about his future in combat sports.

"Listening to my grandmother speak, and listening to her pray for me over the phone, and really being upset, and her telling me to retire and really kind of get away from it," Buckley said. "It took a lot for me to listen and digest it, but I took some time, I slept on it, and I prayed about it, and I realized that my grandmother is right. But, with that being said, I told her to just pray for me, and allow me to grace the Octagon one more time."

Reflecting on his career, Buckley noted the physical toll of competing 18 times in the UFC over a six-year span. Stating that he fights for his children and wants to prevent unnecessary mileage and damage, Buckley emphasized that "there comes a point where you have to stop before you give up too much of yourself." Buckley promised not to cut corners in training as he prepares to make his farewell bout his best performance.