Former NBA player Royce White’s MMA debut didn’t go as planned.
On the main card of LFA 120 on Friday evening, White (0-1) made his professional MMA debut against fellow debuting fighter, Daiqwon Buckley, in a heavyweight contest.
The event took place at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake, Minn., and aired on UFC Fight Pass.
White, who was drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2012, announced his transition to the MMA cage in 2019 after being waived by the Sacramento Kings during the 2013-14 season.
Buckley (1-0), a former collegiate football player, is quite the athlete himself which made for an intriguing matchup for both fighters heading into Friday evening.
The height discrepancy was jarring as the 6-foot-8 White towered over 5-foot-11 Buckley inside the cage. However, as the fight would play out, the difference in height was made up for by Sanford MMA trained Buckley’s wrestling.
White showed some flashes of potential as a fighter throughout the bout. He displayed a snappy left-hand jab and good kick techniques. When the fight was brought to the mat, he showed the ability to work from his back to get the fight standing again.
Ultimately, Buckley’s wrestling told the story of the contest. The stockier fighter was able to get in on White’s legs and bring the fight to the canvas a number of times over three rounds, which led to a unanimous decision victory for the former college football player.
All three judges saw the fight in favor of Buckley, turning in scores of 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28.
Up-to-the-minute results of LFA 120 include:
- Daiqwon Buckley def. Royce White via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Felipe Martinez def. Henry Huff via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Billy Elekana def. Jeff Nielsen via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Daiqwon Buckley spoils former NBA player Royce White’s professional MMA debut at LFA 120
