Joaquin Buckley earned a convincing unanimous decision victory over Alex Morono tonight at UFC Fight Night 229 in las Vegas.
Round One:
Buckley charges straight into a takedown attempt and almost bundles Morono to the mat, but he scrambles up and lands a strike too.
Morono working some solid kicks here. Right hand for Buckley. Body punch from Morono, but Buckley fires back with two big punches that seem to hurt his opponent for a moment.
Morono with a push kick. Buckley thinks about a spinning kick, but doesn’t commit on it and just sails over Morono’s head.
Punch to the head and then body from Buckley. Buckley charging forward winging punches, but Morono backs out of range without taking any damage.
Jumping knee from Buckley comes up sort. Right hand over the top of a punch from Morono lands for Buckley.
Buckley nicely times a takedown and lands it. However as he gets on top Morono goes for an armbar attempt. Buckley able to get his arm to a safer spot and then break free. Morono able to stand though.
Closing stages of the round and Morono hops onto Buckley trying for a guillotine choke. Buckley slams him to the mat as time runs out.
Round Two:
Head kick attempt from Buckley, but gets knocked off-balance in the process and falls to the mat. He gets straight back up and back to it.
Body kick for Morono. Punch for Buckley. Now one to the body. Winging punches from Buckley as he marches forward.
Leg kick for Morono. Morono backing up now under pressure, but throws out a right hook to deter his opponent. Heavy body kick from Buckley.
Body kick from Morono. Grazing left hook from Buckley. Body kick for Morono. Punchh to the body from Buckley. Short flurry of hard punches from Buckley backs Morono up.
Push kick from Morono. Body kick from Buckley. Morono with a few quick punches, but then Buckley fires back harder with his own combo.
Now Buckley opts to clinch up, getting the body lock and he’s looking for a late takedown up against the cage. Morono staying upright though.
Round Three:
Buckley swinging hard and clocks Morono with a left hook, splitting his lip on in the process. Buckley with a head kick that whistles over his opponent’s head.
Inside leg kick for Buckley. Morono fires off a right hook but it’s blocked. Buckley rips to the body and then tries to land upstairs without a clean connection.
Buckley crashes the distance with a knee. Morono backs up though. Head moveoment from Buckley now and then trying to land his heavy hands. Morono just managing to avoid the biggest shots here, but he’s definitely under pressure.
Buckley swinging again. He goes for a kick and misses and it enables Morono to get himm down. Good scrammble from Buckley to get back up.
Morono looks very tired here as Buckley turns up the heat again. Morono musters the energy for a takedown, but it’s sloppy and Buckley stuffs it and ends up on top.
A minute to go with Buckley in Morono’s guard in the center of the Octagon. Hammerfists from Buckley. Morono trying to hunt for a submission, but Buckley opts to stand up.
They are only upright for a few moments though before Morono attempts another takedown, only for Buckley to land on top and look for more strikes as the round ends.
Decision:
Good performance from Buckley here, showing off hard-hitting striking, good cardio and even some wrestling chops on his way to a unanimous decision victory over Morono (30-27 x2, 30-26).
