The UFC makes a return to the UFC APEX with high stakes involved in the women’s strawweight division. Grappling specialist Mackenzie Dern looks to enter her third UFC main event against Angela Hill. The next bout to look at in the main card is one between Andre Fialho and Joaquin Buckley. This fight will mark Buckley’s move down a weight class, as he has previously fought at 185 lbs under the banner.
While making his welterweight debut, ‘New Mansa‘ will look to find a new path in a lower division. On the May 20 Fight Night, both men will look to get back into the winning column after suffering back-to-back losses in 2022.
FIALHO vs BUCKLEY! #UFCVegas73 is LIVE TOMORROW on @ESPNPlus! pic.twitter.com/r45UqB7cxx
— danawhite (@danawhite) May 19, 2023
Last year was chaotic for Andre Fialho (16-6). In January 2022, the 29-year-old made his debut against Michel Pereira. Fialho lost the bout via unanimous decision. However, he made up for it with two ‘Performance Of The Night’ bonuses in his next two fights. Andre KO’ed both Miguel Baeza and Cameron VanCamp in the first round. But he ended the year losing to Jake Matthews and Muslim Salikhov via knockout himself.
Joaquin Buckley (15-6) fought four times himself last year and experienced mixed fortunes. The Missouri native secured a hard-fought split decision win over Abdul Razak Alhassan. Followed by this, he knocked out Albert Duraev, handing the Russian his 1st loss in 11 fights. But he went on to lose his next two fights to Nassouridine Imavov and Chris Curtis.
UFC Fight Night: Andre Fialho vs Joaquin Buckley fighter stats
Stats | Andre Fialho | Joaquin Buckley |
---|---|---|
Wins | 16 | 15 |
Losses | 6 | 6 |
Height | 1.83 m | 1.77 m |
Division | Welterweight | Middleweight |
Reach | 187 cm | 193 cm |
Age | 29 | 29 |
Fialho vs Buckley: Fight Breakdown
Being one of the most exciting fighters on the roster, Andre fights with a lot of pride. The 29-year-old will either KO or get KO’ed every time he graces the Octagon. The fighting style he possesses doesn’t seem good for longevity in the sport. Fialho averages 3.17 significant strikes landed per minute while eating a staggering 6.12 significant strikes in return.
The Portugal native hasn’t attempted a takedown in the promotion so far. Buckley, his opponent, averages 3.87 significant strikes landed while absorbing 3.53 per minute. Joaquin also seems to mix in some level changes, averaging 1.23 takedowns per 15 minutes.
In terms of stature, Andre seems to be the taller opponent, standing at 1.83 m. At the same time, Buckley’s height comes at 1.77 m as per the UFC stats. Joaquin had a loud start to his UFC career after securing one of the most viral knockouts in MMA history. However, he went to losing some fights and getting finished in the process.
Fans are in for a high-pace striking match. It all boils down to how much the duo respects each other’s power. But it might not be too long before either of the two starts letting their hands go. Considering the duo’s style and very little grappling history, chances are they might begin to trade shots in a phone booth, eventually throwing the game plan out of the window.
“Let me show you what I can do with somebody my size, my height, my range, my length and everything. Watch what I do to him.”
Joaquin Buckley (@Newmansa94) is ready to make a splash at welterweight when he faces Andre Fialho at #UFCVegas73 ⤵️:https://t.co/02wFUrW0xb
— UFC News (@UFCNews) May 16, 2023
This fight appears to be a coin flip, though not a massive one. Both Joaquin and Andre throw pretty much every strike with bad intentions. This has been great for their careers, but also the reason for their recent downfalls. Andre makes anyone pay for bad judgment in the cage. As Buckley is moving down in a weight class, it could go horribly go wrong for him. The weight cut might also affect his durability and cardio, come fight night.