Midnight Mania! Buckley Returns At UFC 255 Following Spin Kick KO

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

If Fight Island has an associated slogan, it might as well be “strike while the iron is hot!”

Take Khamzat Chimaev, for example. “Borz” debuted with an utterly dominant display, and UFC promptly booked him to fight 10 days later. He won again in similar fashion, which established himself as a major fighter to watch. A month or so later, a brutal one-punch knockout turned Chimaev into the sport’s hottest prospect.

Fortunes are changing quickly for a select few up-and-comers.

Joaquin Buckley may already be the next man to leave Abu Dhubi with a huge boost in recognition and popularity. He may have lost his short-notice debut to the very talented Kevin Holland, but Buckley rebounded in quite literally the best possible way, scoring perhaps the greatest knockout of all time over Impa Kasanganay just a few days ago (watch it in slow-mo).

Per ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Buckley will return opposite Jordan Wright at UFC 255 on Nov. 21. Undefeated at 11-0 (1), “The Beverly Hills Ninja” is a “Contender Series” product who has finished all of his victories. All in all, it sounds like a reasonable match up for both Middleweights, as well as a recipe for another highlight reel finish!

Lastly, it would be inappropriate to write a fight announcement for Buckley without including the clip — this edit is the best yet!

Insomnia

Both Ciryl Gane and Ante Dleija react with grace to a missed opportunity (which is probably a bit easier without a weight cut).

I don’t know how to say this without being sound name-dropper-y, but from personal experience: Megan and Joe are awesome human beings, and everyone should be fans.

Man vs. pumpkin!

Can Brian Ortega recover from one of the most historic beatdowns in UFC history?

Billy Quarantillo wins this round vs. a salty regional promoter.

Paulo Costa and Anthony Johnson are talking a bit of trash on Twitter, and man, this is a weird exchange that would’ve been more appropriate as a Youtube comment in 2010.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

A highlight of other crazy knockouts seems fitting for tonight’s article.

Right body-right uppercut-right hand!

When sloppy spinning strikes go … right?

Random Land

While very neat looking, this does not appear to be ideal camouflage.

Midnight Music: My girlfriend put on a ‘70s playlist while we cleaned up around the house today, and I’m pretty sure it played entirely through three times.

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.