Welterweight contenders Sean Brady and Joaquin Buckley faced off as part of the second fight in on Saturday’s UFC 328 main card in Newark, NJ.
Both were coming off single loss setbacks suffered last year, Brady against Michael Morales and Buckley opposite ex-champ Kamaru Usman. Brady remained ranked #6, Buckley #9 in the UFC’s 170lb division.
Someone was almost certainly getting back in the win column on Saturday.
The welterweight affair started out at a crisp pace, though neither man hit the target initially, both struggling to find their range. They’d collide just under a minute in, spinning around in a clinch. Nothing came of it, but Brady would re-engage a moment later, looking to land a takedown. No success, and they reset at center. Shortly after, following a Buckley kick, Brady changed levels and landed the first takedown of the fight. Buckley was on his back, head towards the fence. Brady ripped punches to the bottom from half-guard, with half a round still on the clock.
Brady then moved to mount, firing right hands first, then lefts. Buckley covered up, then rolled to one side. Brady stayed on top in full mount, landing more ground n’ pound. Buckley’s defense was more or less trying to shrimp and scoot free, without success, and cover up. Just enough to prevent a stoppage. Brady then chased a kimura, bailing on the ground n’ pound. Buckley was able to defend, but still had Brady on top of him. He’d finish out the round there.
Brady fired high with a kick then transitioned straight into a spinning back fist to open round two. Neither landed clean, but moments later, roughly 30 seconds in, Brady landed another takedown. That gave him tons of time to work after being dominant on top in round one. Brady was working his way to mount, but Buckley bucked his opponent off, and looked ready to open fire— only to be taken down off a kick, more of a knee, yet again.
Again, Brady made it to mount. In against the fence, Buckley was stuck. Brady unleashed hammerfists, though they didn’t have a ton on them. A few elbows were in the mix however. Buckley moved, Brady took aim again, and added more elbows. Some of those were getting through. Buckley fought the wrists after that, surviving the round, but went into the third in need of a finish.
Between rounds, Joaquin Buckley’s corner order him to drop the kicks and knees from his arsenal and work on his hands. Brady went straight for a takedown, meanwhile, and although Buckley fought that off, a double-leg attempt was successful shortly after. Exactly where Buckley didn’t want to me. Any hope of a win rested on his ability to get back up, but Brady was heavy on top. Soon enough, he’d passed to mount for the third time in the fight.
Brady would finish the round strong, and though he didn’t find the finish, there was no question as to who captured the victory.
Official Result: Sean Brady def. Joaquin Buckley by unanimous decision (30-25, 30-25, 30-27)
