Joaquin Buckley Drops Surprising Retirement Announcement, Reveals How Many Fights He Has Left

One more fight. Then Joaquin Buckley says he is done. The UFC welterweight made the call on Thursday in a lengthy Instagram post, five days after Mike Malott knocked him out in the main event at UFC Edmonton. Buckley is 32, and he has no opponent, date or event lined up yet. The push came from a phone call with his grandmother after a loss he said hit his family hard. She told him to walk away. After sleeping on it, he agreed with her, though he wanted one more walk to the Octagon first.

Joaquin Buckley Hints At UFC Retirement

Joaquin Buckley did not call it a farewell tour. He called it a final camp. “I'm taking one more fight. This will be my last one,” he wrote.

The 32-year-old welterweight said his grandmother prayed for him over the phone and told him to retire. Her point was simple. Your mind is your biggest asset, so protect it. Buckley slept on it and decided she was right. Then came his ask. One more shot. “I can't leave on a loss,” he said.

Family sits at the center of this. Buckley wants out while he can still be present and healthy for his children, and the Edmonton knockout rattled the people closest to him. The miles count too. He has made 18 UFC appearances over six years and has a 21-9 record with 15 knockouts.

Why Did Buckley Change His Mind After The Edmonton Loss?

Days earlier, he sounded like a man staying put. After Malott finished him with a second-round knee, Buckley said he would keep going. “I'm a fighter that fights,” he said. He talked about visiting gyms and showing off the team he was building.

The loss was his third in a row. Kamaru Usman and Sean Brady beat him on the scorecards first. Before the skid, Buckley had won six straight at 170 pounds, including stoppages of Stephen Thompson and Colby Covington. It was a real run, and it makes the slide harder to wave off.

Edmonton also followed a camp change. Buckley trained in Dallas at Fortis MMA under Sayif Saud, next to Geoff Neal and Ryan Spann, instead of at his usual St. Louis base. It did not save him.

This time, he promises something different. “We're going to do it right this time. We're not cutting any corners, no shortcuts, and we're going to do the difficult things,” Buckley said. His brother has helped him stay in shape, and fans can follow the camp on his Kick channel.

Buckley wants a finish worth replaying. His 2020 spinning back kick knockout of Impa Kasanganay is still one of the most replayed in UFC history. “We're going to make our last one the best one,” he said.

Plans change in this sport, so read the timeline as a hope, not a promise. No rival has been named, and UFC has not announced a date.