Atlantic City – It’s a business move at UFC Atlantic City for welterweight Joaquin Buckley who has some very good reasons to take a short notice bout against Vicente Luque on Saturday night.
“This is something I’ve been asking for and shouting about via social media for a long time to get that big name to get somebody that I feel like is really going to get the respect that it deserves with all the work I’ve put in,” Buckley told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“Now that I’m getting the fight that I asked for it’s a beautiful situation.”
Buckley (17-6) has been asking for a big fight for quite a long time. The welterweight has had to resort to calling fighters out on social media, and then jumped on this opportunity.
“Name them, I called them out, but with this opportunity coming I’m just appreciate of Vicente Luque actually taking on the challenge. At the end of the day, no matter if I want a fight or the UFC wants to book it, the opponent of mine has to take the fight,” Buckley said.
“Maaaaaan man, boy, it’s time to make this money now.”
Money, ranking and a win are all on the line for Buckley against Luque.
“Specially with getting a ranking and putting myself in position to work towards the title. This is what I’ve been waiting on since I got signed to the UFC,” he said.
“The biggest thing is I know what position it’s going to put me in when it comes to the status of the UFC. Me now getting this ranking I feel like I could do so much more outside of my career as a fighter, and I can come back home to St.Louis and really put on.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Joaquin Buckley above. He takes on Vicente Luque at UFC Atlantic City on Saturday night.
