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Check out the best photos from Joaquin Buckley’s second-round TKO win over Vicente Luque at UFC on ESPN 54.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]’s second-round TKO win over [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 54 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. (Fight and venue photos by Ed Mulholland, USA Today Sports)
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 54 odds between Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley, with MMA picks and predictions.
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In a 3-round welterweight bout on the main card, Vicente Luque and Joaquin Buckley meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 54 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ESPN 54: Luque vs. Buckley odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims begin at 7 p.m. ET, and can be viewed on ESPN2/ESPN+, while the main card starts at 10 p.m. ET, also on ESPN/ESPN+.
Records: Luque (22-9-1) | Buckley (17-6-0)
Luque is coming off a unanimous-decision win over Rafael dos Anjos in mid-August in his most recent fight. That halted a 2-bout losing skid with a KO/TKO setback against Geoff Neal in Aug. 2022, and a UD loss to Belal Muhammad in the main event in mid-April of 2022.
Buckley ended up with a UD win over Alex Morono last time out in early October, and he had a 2nd-round KO/TKO against Andre Fialho prior to that. His last loss was a KO/TKO in the 2nd round against Chris Curtis at UFC 282. Buckley has picked up wins in 5 of the past 7 fights, going the distance 3 times.
The southpaw Buckley holds a slight half-inch reach advantage, while Luque has a 5.17-to-3.87 significant strikes landed per minute advantage. The favorite is way more accurate on those strikes, too, hitting 56.04%, while Buckley throws punches wildly, with just a 35.56% significant strikes accuracy percentage.
In the takedown game, Buckley has 1.51-to-1.04 advantage, although, again, Luque is more accurate at 60.87%, while Buckley has just a 36.67% takedown accuracy percentage.
Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:35 p.m. ET.
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LUQUE (-135) is just a little more polished. He is 32 years old, and he lands a lot more significant strikes per minute, and he does so with much greater accuracy. And in the takedown department, he is much more accurate there, too.
Luque has gone the distance in 2 of his past 3 fights, and Buckley has ended up going the distance in 3 of his past 5 full fights which weren’t ended via doctor’s stoppage. If the judges decide, Luque will win by a mile, as he just does all of the little things better to rack up points throughout the course of a fight.
OVER 1.5 ROUNDS (-175) is a little on the pricey side, but it’s worth the risk. These 2 fighters should feel each other out in the 1st round, and it’s unlikely to be a quick finish. As mentioned above, these fighters have both ended up going the distance frequently lately.
YES (+150): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is also worth a look at plus-money, and LUQUE BY DECISION/TECHNICAL DECISION (+500) on the 7-way line for a chance to multiply up by 5 times is worth a roll of the dice. That’s a tremendous value.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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The 28 UFC fighters competing in Atlantic City on Saturday came face-to-face for the final time pre-fight.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The competitors lined up to fight at UFC on ESPN 54 came face-to-face for the final time at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins at Boardwalk Hall, the same venue that hosts Saturday’s event.
Among those faced off were headliners [autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and [autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), co-headliners [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) and [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC), and middleweights [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) and [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC).
MMA Junkie was onsite for Friday’s ceremonial weigh-in and faceoffs. Check out full video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.
The UFC on ESPN 54 weigh-ins ended oddly as Julio Arce somehow gained 0.25 pounds between attempts and his team was scratching their heads.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Ahead of Saturday’s fights at Boardwalk Hall, the 28 fighters involved in UFC on ESPN 54 hit the scales at the host hotel. One missed weight.
Atop the event, which airs on ESPN/ESPN+, is a pivotal women’s flyweight main event between top contenders [autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and [autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC).
In the co-main event, welterweight standouts [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) and [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) collide. Also on the card, former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) attempts to reenter the win column against [autotag]Bruno Silva[/autotag] (23-10 MMA, 4-4 UFC).
All of those fighters made weight, but one from the prelims. [autotag]Julio Arce[/autotag] missed the featherweight limit after previously missing at bantamweight in April 2022. He was given two attempts and gained 0.25 pounds between attempts.
Arce’s re-weigh was the last weigh-in of the day. A different New Jersey State Athletic Commission (NJSAC) representative than who weighed in the other 27 fighters and Arce’s first attempt, weighed in Arce the second time. This caused further frustration and disbelief from Arce’s team, who said they had weighed 146 on their own scale. Arce was fined 20 percent of his purse and the fight will continue as scheduled.
It's official! Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot have made weight for the #UFCAtlanticCity main event. High stakes in this one. pic.twitter.com/dxJb1QFNbQ
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) March 29, 2024
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Check out the full UFC on ESPN 54 weigh-ins results below:
MAIN CARD (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)
* Arce missed featherweight limit by 1 pound; 20 percent fine
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.
Vicente Luque explains why he had no issue accepting dangerous replacement Joaquin Buckley for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 54.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] accepted what many fighters would’ve rejected in his position – a replacement fight with a dangerous, lesser-ranked opponent on a lesser spot on the card.
The UFC welterweight veteran was supposed to headline UFC on ESPN 54 against Sean Brady, who’s ranked No. 8 on the UFC’s official rankings. Instead, he ended up pitted against unranked striking powerhouse [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] in the co-main event of Saturday’s event.
This change came as a consequence of Brady’s injury, which didn’t allow him to compete on the card. In response, Luque (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) accepted to fight Buckley (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) as a replacement – something he had no issue doing.
“I’ve been in that position before, like in Buckley’s position,” Luque said at the UFC on ESPN 54 media day on Wednesday. “I’ve been the guy outside the rankings that people were concerned about because we’re good, we’re dangerous. Fighting is always risk, but I feel the more risk I take, the more reward I’m going to get from that. That’s how I look at this fight.
“Yeah, he’s not ranked, and he is dangerous, but I’m dangerous as well, and I’ll give him the opportunity to try to come in and beat me.”
On top of wanting to challenge himself and also give an opportunity to someone looking to enter the rankings, there were other things to consider for Luque.
“Everyone says, ‘You don’t always get what you want,’ but on the bright side, I get to fight in front of my family, I get to fight in New Jersey, and in the month I wanted to – so many things that are favorable,” Luque said. “The training camp was great for the time frame that I had and getting a guy in Buckley that yeah – he’s not ranked, we’re not going to be the main event, but he has a lot of hype behind him, and he has a style that people love to watch.
“I have a style that people love to watch, so at the end of the day it’s a fight that people are going to watch and are going to be supporting. I can showcase my skills and my work my way up in the division.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.
Joaquin Buckley plans to defeat Vicente Luque at UFC on ESPN 54 in a fashion that will change the trajectory of his career.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] has been patiently waiting for an opportunity like the one that comes his way Saturday at UFC on ESPN 54.
Since his August 2020 promotional debut, Buckley (18-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) has been grinding away in the octagon. His run includes one of the most spectacular highlights in UFC history with his spinning back kick finish of Impa Kasanganay, but he’s had a handful of disappointing defeats, as well.
After going 2-0 since dropping to the welterweight division, Buckley gets a chance to change his career trajectory when he takes on perennial contender Vicente Luque (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) in the co-main event at Boardwalk Hall (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+).
“This is something I’ve been asking for and shouting about on social media for a long time,” Buckley told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s media day. “To get that big name, to get somebody that I feel like is going to really get the respect it deserves with all the work I’ve put in. So now that I’m getting a fight that I asked for, it’s a beautiful situation.
“I’m appreciative of Vicente Luque actually taking on the challenge. Because at the end of the day, no matter if I want to fight him or if the UFC wants to book it, the opponent of mine has to take the fight and I’m just appreciative of Vicente Luque taking this fight.”
Luque, No. 14 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings, has shared the cage with many of the best in the weight class and holds wins over former UFC champs Rafael dos Anjos and Tyron Woodley, and noted BKFC standout Mike Perry, among others.
Buckley, 29, has never beaten someone with the credentials of Luque, 32, and he already has visions of everything that would come with this victory.
“The biggest thing is I know what position it’s going to put me in as far as the status of the UFC,” Buckley said. “It puts me in the rankings and get put on route to become a world champion. I feel like I can do so much more with my career as a fighter and can come home to St. Louis and put on.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.
Check out the UFC, PFL, and Bellator fights that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC, PFL, and Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Feb. 12-18.
Vicente Luque will still fight at the UFC’s return to Atlantic City, but it will be against a lesser-ranked name than originally intended.
[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] will still fight at the UFC’s return to Atlantic City, N.J., next month, but it will be against a lesser-ranked opponent than originally intended.
Luque (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) is set to meet [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] (18-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) in a three-round welterweight co-main event at UFC Fight Night on March 31, which takes place at Boardwalk Hall and airs on ESPN. Two people with knowledge of the situation verified the booking to MMA Junkie after the venue announced the fight on Thursday.
UFC officials initially announced Luque would be facing Sean Brady in the main event of the card. However, it was later revealed Brady never actually signed for the fight and had been dealing with lingering injuries.
Now Luque, No. 12 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings, will get an unranked opponent in Buckley, who is riding back-to-back wins over Alex Morono and Andre Fialho.
Luque will attempt to put together a two-fight winning streak of his own after he outworked former UFC champ Rafael dos Anjos to a unanimous decision at UFC on ESPN 51 in August.
The latest UFC Atlantic City lineup now includes:
Joaquin Buckley has an inkling that Stephen Thompson will not show up to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov.
[autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] has an inkling that [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] will not show up to fight [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag].
Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) takes on Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) at UFC 296 on Dec. 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Buckley is eyeing a December return, and is ready to step in for Thompson if he doesn’t make the fight.
“For Dec. 16, I could definitely do that – easy work,” Buckley told Middle Easy on making welterweight on short notice. “We looking at Shavkat and ‘Wonderboy’ fight. I mean no disrespect to ‘Wonderboy.’ He’s always been a tough guy and always willing to take a fight, but for some reason, it’s telling me he ain’t going to show up to that. Something tells me that ‘Wonderboy’ ain’t going to show up to that one, so let’s get ready.”
Buckley’s theory that Thompson will no show comes because “Wonderboy” publicly turned down a fight with Rakhmonov in the past.
“Fighters know fighters, man,” Buckley said. “To be honest with you, ‘Wonderboy’ for the longest time didn’t want to fight Shavkat, and I’m guessing the UFC gave him a good little bag in order to get up in there.
“Regardless, this sport is all mental, so for some reason, I’m throwing up a little lob. I don’t think ‘Wonderboy’ is going to be able to make it to that cage for whatever odd reason, so let’s get ready.”
Buckley (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) has found success since dropping back down to 170 pounds, scoring back-to-back wins over Andre Fialho and Alex Morono.
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from October 2023.
With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best fights from October 2023: Here are the five nominees, listed in chronological order, and winner of MMA Junkie’s Fight of the Month award for October.
At the bottom of the post, let us know if we got it right by voting on your choice.
