Joaquin Buckley (left)(photo via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

After making MMA headlines in 2020, Joaquin Buckley will reportedly kick off his 2021 campaign with a fight against Alessio Di Chirico next.

Buckley (12-3) electrified the MMA world this past October, via his knockout of the year candidate against Impa Kasanganay. Buckley followed up with another KO win in November by stopping Jordan Wright.

MMA Junkie is reporting that Buckley has agreed to fight middleweight Alessio Di Chirico (12-5 ) at the UFC’s January 16th card in Abu Dhabi.

Di Chirico is looking to end a three-fight losing skid. In his last bout, this past August, he dropped a decision to Zak Cummings.

The January 16th card will be headlined by a featherweight bout between former champ Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar.