From scandal to statement: Sean Brady wipes the floor with Joaquin Buckley

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Sean Brady secured a clear-cut unanimous decision win over Joaquin Buckley, though the fight still stirred up plenty of debate.

Both fighters were looking to bounce back from losses last year. Buckley had teamed up with Kamaru Usman – the man who beat him – to work on his wrestling and even got some competitive reps in at RAF Wrestling, all aimed at countering Brady’s strength on the mat.

The odds shifted quite a bit before the fight, moving from Brady as a heavy favourite to more balanced numbers in favour of Buckley by -205.

But Brady didn’t seem bothered by any of that. He took control early, taking Buckley down and pushing for a finish right from the start.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC

Brady controls Buckley for a unanimous decision win at UFC 328

The fight went ahead as scheduled, despite some movement in the betting lines leading up to it. Brady wasted no time getting things started, shooting for a takedown right from the opening bell and immediately looking to take control.

There was never any doubt about who was in control. From start to finish, Brady dictated the pace and location of the fight, shutting down Buckley’s game plan at every turn.

Buckley had been quiet during media day, steering clear of questions, but he brought his usual energy into the arena. Still, it didn’t translate into success once the fight began.

Across all three rounds, Brady never let up in his pursuit of takedowns and submission attempts. Even though he couldn’t find a finish, his dominance was clear enough for all three judges to score it in his favour.

It remains to be seen what comes next for Sean Brady after this win. Following his knockout loss to Michael Morales back in November, this performance served as a strong reminder that he’s still very much a factor among ranked welterweights.