This past Saturday night was a special moment for Joaquin Buckley that he helped make a reality by calling his shot.
The #11-ranked welterweight contender had managed to get some mic time during the press conference for UFC 300 where he asked Dana White to put him in the main event in front of home fans.
Buckley had to settle for the co-main event slot but he still made good on his demands with a strong performance against the surging Nursulton Ruziboev to win via unanimous decision.
In his post-fight interview inside the Octagon, "New Mansa" gave some of the credit for this moment to the fans that had rallied behind him in recent weeks to get him a prominent spot on this card.
"St. Louis, stand up everybody. We just showed up and showed out, we brought the UFC back, it wasn't just me, it was y'all too." Buckley told Michael Bisping in the cage. "Y'all put on for me. Y'all went on social media, y'all at Dana, y'all at the UFC, so this is our moment, this is our win. Like I said, stand your a** up if you from St. Louis. Stand up, let's go."
His first fight back in St. Louis since his Bellator debut back eight years ago also marked the fourth consecutive win of this current run in the UFC.
He produced back-to-back wins in 2023 to recover from consecutive losses before beating both Vicente Luque and Ruziboev in less than two months to continue his streak of form.
Buckley's post-fight interview also peaked the interest of the fans in attendance at the Enterprise Center for a different reason as he called to fight "The Notorious" Conor McGregor.
He later said in an interview with ESPN MMA that the McGregor call out was simply to promote himself, naming an opponent like the #6-ranked Gilbert Burns as a more "realistic" opponent for his next outing.
Buckley also used his time on the mic to talk to the fans in St. Louis about something that is very close to his heart.
The 30-year old has spoken in the past about how his biggest motivation in his career is supporting and caring for his grandmother who suffers from ALS.
He spoke from the heart in explaining why he chooses to fight and where he draws inspiration from.
"For about five years now, she's been battling this ALS disease but she always, all the time, keeps a smile on her face. She laughs, she enjoys life even though ALS has stricken so many things away from her. She can't stand, she can't speak but no matter what, she lives on every day with a smile on her face and pushes her baby. Grandma, this for you baby. You the reason why I'm out here right now."
It was an emotional moment on what is sure to be one of the most memorable nights of Buckley's career.
Watch the full post-fight interview via the official UFC YouTube channel below:
