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Coach Eric Nicksick has been thoroughly impressed by the efforts of UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley in 2024.
Buckley ended his year on a high note by headlining the final event of 2024 on Saturday night. He faced former interim champion Colby Covington at Tampa’s Amalie Arena, who was looking to get back into title contention after multiple failed attempts.
“Chaos” Covington did not achieve his goal, as Buckley dominated him in the first two rounds, leading to a deep cut above Covington’s eye that forced the fight to be stopped.
With this victory, “New Mansa” Buckley has gone 4-0 this year, with wins over Vicente Luque, Nursulton Ruziboev, and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.
Nicksick believes that Buckley’s performance has propelled him into the discussion for “Fighter of the Year,” surpassing leading candidates Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria.
Real talk, @Newmansa94 resurrection needs to be studied. 6-0 in a new division w/ 4 stoppages, 4-0 in 2024. Ladies and Gentlemen, he’s your 2024 Fighter of the Year. I’m out
— Eric Nicksick (@Eric_XCMMA) December 15, 2024
“Real talk, @Newmansa94 (Buckley) resurrection needs to be studied,” Nicksick wrote on X. “6-0 in a new division w/ 4 stoppages, 4-0 in 2024. Ladies and Gentlemen, he’s your 2024 Fighter of the Year. I’m out.”
Pereira, the current light heavyweight champion, has made his case with three title defenses in 2024. After wins over Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka, “Poatan” also defeated Khalil Rountree in October.
Topuria, on the other hand, has faced tougher competition than Pereira. Despite having one less fight, the Spaniard defeated Alexander Volkanovski and knocked out Max Holloway to retain the featherweight title.
Considering his impressive performance since moving to 170 pounds, Buckley seems to have the support of one prominent figure in the fight game.
Read More: Dana White On Colby Covington’s Defeat To Joaquin Buckley: ‘That Fight Doesn’t Get Stopped In Vegas’
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