It has been a rough week for Joaquin Buckley. “New Mansa” headed into UFC Edmonton hoping to snap his two-fight losing streak with a fresh attitude, but things couldn’t have gone much worse. The 18-fight UFC veteran suffered a brutal second-round knockout against Mike Malott in the main event, extending his losing streak to three.
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Malott landed a devastating knee to put Buckley away at the 2:32 mark of Round 2 on Saturday night. However, the knockout wasn’t the only thing that had people talking. Buckley’s unusual behavior during fight week also caught the attention of UFC CEO Dana White.
During the ceremonial weigh-ins, White was on stage as usual when Buckley and Malott came face-to-face. The UFC boss offered both fighters a good-luck message and extended his hand to Buckley. However, the welterweight contender ignored the handshake, leaving White visibly confused.
White still gave Buckley a pat on the back before moving on, but the awkward moment wasn’t the end of it. Buckley later ignored UFC correspondent McKenzie Pavacich’s questions during a backstage interview, remaining completely silent throughout the interaction.
Following the event, White finally addressed Buckley’s behavior, and his response included a classic joke at the fighter’s expense.
Dana White Jokes About Cutting Joaquin Buckley After UFC Edmonton Loss
During the UFC Edmonton post-fight press conference, a reporter asked White about Buckley’s behavior during fight week and whether being ignored at the weigh-ins had bothered him.
The UFC boss appeared unfazed, explaining that fighters deal with the pressure of fight week in different ways. Between intense training, weight cuts, injuries, and time away from family, White said he understood why some competitors might not be in the mood to interact.
He said, “I have no idea. You know, all of these guys deal with fight week differently, and everybody’s pretty nasty as you get close to the weigh-ins. They have been cutting, they have been training, nagging injuries, away from their families and loved ones, away from food and water and lots of things like that.”
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White went on to explain that he had learned not to take such behavior personally after spending decades in the fight business.
He added, “I have been in this business for so long. You can’t take any of that type of stuff personal. I used to stick my head in the night of the fights and go in and wish everybody luck. But now, I just stay out of everybody’s way, and you know. However, you are dealing with fight week is your business and your deal, and yeah, it’s all good.”
Just when it seemed like White was done discussing the matter, the reporter followed up by asking whether Buckley’s actions had bothered him at all.
White delivered the punchline with a straight face, saying, “As soon as he lost, I told Hunter cut him.”
Joaquin Buckley refused to answer any questions after the weigh-ins #UFCEdmonton https://t.co/zvOvF0hqcP
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 17, 2026
The comment caught the reporter off guard, prompting an immediate request for clarification. White then chuckled and admitted that he was only messing around. He concluded with, “I am f***ing joking.”
Joaquin Buckley Faces Tough Road After Third Straight UFC Loss
White’s joke comes just days after Buckley publicly questioned why he wasn’t given a title shot in 2024, despite putting together a six-fight winning streak. The contender had been vocal about his frustration with the UFC’s matchmaking decisions, but his recent results have made his path back to title contention considerably more difficult.
Things have gone in the opposite direction for Buckley, who has now lost three consecutive fights after previously falling to Kamaru Usman and Sean Brady. His knockout defeat against Malott was another setback for a fighter who had once looked like a serious threat in the welterweight division.
For now, “New Mansa” will need to regroup and figure out how to get his career back on track. Meanwhile, White’s post-fight joke added another memorable moment to an already difficult week for the American.