Joaquin Buckley knocks out Impa Kasanganay with highlight-reel head kick
A packed UFC on ESPN+37 card will take place on “Fight Island” tonight, Saturday, Oct. 10.
Headlining the 14-bout event is a matchup between top-five ranked bantamweights Marlon Moraes and Cory Sandhagen. The co-main event features a featherweight bout between Edson Barboza and Makwan Amirkhani inside the Flash Forum in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
Keeping things rolling on the preliminary card is a middleweight matchup between Impa Kasanganay and Joaquin Buckley. Both fighters are rather new to the UFC, coming off different outcomes in their octagon debuts.
Kasanganay was not even on the UFC roster the first week of August. He already picked up his first UFC win after getting a unanimous decision nod against Maki Pitolo a UFC Fight Night 175 on Aug. 29.
Earlier that month, Kasanganay earned his UFC contract by beating Anthony Adams via unanimous decision on Dana White’s Contender Series, Aug. 11. The 26-year-old is unbeaten and has gone the distance six times.
Buckley also stayed busy this past summer. He lost his UFC debut by first-round by third-round TKO to Kevin Holland at UFC Fight Night 174 on Aug. 8. Buckley took the fight on late notice. It came about a week after he knocked out Jackie Gosh in the second round at LFA 87 on July 31.
Here is how the middleweight bout between Tom Aspinall and Alan Baudot went down at UFC on ESPN+ 37, including round-by-round scoring. For full results of the event, check them out right here.
ROUND 1
Both met come center, no tapping of the gloves. Both men attacking early. Kasanganay with a leg kick. Buckley lets his hands go and catches Kasanganay with a hook. Kasangany backs up, tries to survive. Buckley and Kasanganay against the cage. They split and are squaring off. Buckley throws a leg kick, Kasanganay catches it. Kasangany using the jab. Buckley closes the distance and gets a takedown. Kasangany gets to his feet. Buckley still looking to land a big punch. Buckley throwing with a lot of power. Kasanganay stays center. Buckley lands a leg kick. Kasanganay lands a one, two combination. Buckley throws a flying knee, misses. Round comes to an end.
MyMMANews.com scores it 10-9 Buckley
ROUND 2
Buckley grabs a chairBuckley pumps out the jab early. Buckley establishing the jab early. Kasanganay lands the jab. Both men eying one another up. Buckley lands a kick to the body. Buckley and Kasanganay exchange, both land strikes. Buckley throws a kick to the body and Kasanganay catches it. Buckley then spins around and lands a kick straight to the face and Kasanganay goes towering backwards.
Official result: Joaquin Buckley def. Impa Kasanganay via knockout at 2:03 in round 2.
THE MOST UNBELIEVABLE KO IN UFC HISTORY 🤯 #UFCFightIsland5 pic.twitter.com/O7BOJg8h9c
— UFC (@ufc) October 10, 2020
