UFC News: Joaquin Buckley Refutes ‘Rigged’ Fight Claims vs. Vicente Luque

Buckley responds to fans who believe Luque ‘threw the fight’ against him.

Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Joaquin Buckley has heard what the critics had to say about his last fight.

The UFC Welterweight turned into a contender overnight in Atlantic City with a show-stopping TKO win over #11-ranked Vicente Luque. After a competitive first round, the fight went sideways for Luque as the Brazilian plopped down on his back taking subsequent punishment from his opponent.

Buckley ultimately got the job done with ground and pound, but not everybody’s convinced by the result, nor how Luque went out on his shield only to return to his feet seconds later.

“Luque vs Buckley was a rigged fight and no one can tell me otherwise,” viral YouTuber MMA Guru reacted to the fight on ‘X’. “ #UFCAtlanticCity f*** this sport its a f****** joke.”

Luque vs Buckley was a rigged fight and no one can tell me otherwise. #UFCAtlanticCity fuck this sport its a fucking joke.

— THE MMA GURU (@THATBOYMMAGURU) March 31, 2024

“Luque vs Buckley was a rigged fight & no 1 can SAY ANYTHING otherwise,” another fan wrote on ‘X’. “ #UFCAtlanticCity since when does Luque pull guard & cover up? Luque paying out his friends, because no one will remember this event.  Weird and Boring AF. Worst Main event ever to top it off.”

It wouldn’t take long for ‘New Mansa’ to get a hold of the controversial narrative.

“Unfortunately a lot of people think the fight was rigged,” Buckley said on ‘The MMA Hour’.  “Vicente Luque threw the fight, that's what they feel. A lot of people, a lot of people [had] random comments.”

Buckley is firm in his belief that once Luque found a way out of their co-main event, he took it. 

“I feel like Vicente just quit in there, point blank period. He quit,” Buckley continued from his point of view. “He didn't wanna be in there in the first place. He didn't wanna be in there before the fight started. 


“When you are a fighter, you can just sense those things. It's hard to explain. You gotta get in there and find out. I knew it the moment I saw him at weigh-ins, I knew he didn't wanna be there.”

These welterweights are ready to throw down 😤@VicenteLuqueMMA takes on @Newmansa94

[ #UFCAtlanticCity | TOMORROW on @ESPN | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/traRIi7waN

— UFC (@ufc) March 29, 2024

In honor of April Fool’s Day, Joaquin Buckley (likely) joked he saw his former foe Vicente Luque get a betting slip from James Krause, who told him ‘good job’ after the loss.

Joaquin Buckley alleges Vicente Luque took a dive for James Krause 💀 pic.twitter.com/aB6KWYtedC

— Ben Davis (@BenTheBaneDavis) April 1, 2024

Former UFC fighter and coach Krause is under investigation by the FBI for his alleged involvement in a betting scandal. Suspicions grew around Krause after betting lines swung drastically at UFC Vegas 64 where his fighter Darrick Minner met Shayilan Nuerdanbieke. Minner is thought to have thrown the fight so Krause and others could profit from betting against him. 

The UFC has since banned Minner and Krause from the Octagon, as well as any other fighters who work with Krause, as part of the ongoing investigation. 

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