Antônio Arroyo

Antonio Arroyo vs. Joaquin Buckley

Round 1
The main card opener should begin with a bang, as the UFC puts the win-or-lose highlight-reel creator Buckley (12-4, 2-2 UFC) against durable Brazilian Arroyo (9-4, 0-2 UFC). All of Buckley’s stoppage wins have come by knockout, while Arroyo has never been stopped with strikes. On the other hand, Arroyo has recorded his last few finishes by submission, and Buckley has never been tapped. Anything could happen, and referee Mark Smith has his head on a swivel for the middleweight action. They do not touch gloves, and Buckley hops forward and sweeps with a low kick that comes up short. A subsequent kick scores, and he tries to plant a side kick to the midsection but Arroyo is well out of the way. The Brazilian spins with a sudden wheel kick, and Buckley sees it coming and gets out of the way. Both men swing and miss with powerful strikes, until Buckley lands kicks on the in and outside of his foe’s leg. Arroyo lands a straight right hand that sends “New Mansa” flying back to the cage, but it appears to have been a stumble and not from the damaging blow. Buckley comes back with a head kick, and they both miss with head kicks that would separate their heads from their respective shoulders. Buckley ducks square into a front kick as he unleashes a right hand, but it is Arroyo that falls to his back after delivering the blow. The Brazilian uses an upkick to back Buckley away, and he gets back to his feet. The power strikes are inaccurate towards one another, and an inside leg kick from Buckley slaps into Arroyo’s cup. Arroyo centers himself after 30 seconds, and the fight resumes as they touch hands. Arroyo goes after a low kick and then follows it with a high kick, and Buckley absorbs some of it and wears it well. “New Mansa” lets loose with a head kick that is at least a foot off the mark, but his inside calf kick connects cleanly. Arroyo steps in with a side kick to the knee, leading Buckley to respond with a question mark kick. Arroyo times an advancing Buckley to sit down on a high kick that nails Buckley in the chest. Buckley tries to get off a flying knee, but midair, Arroyo pushes him back. Buckley goes after a kick, and he falls over as he misses. Arroyo tries to get on top and work him over, but Buckley springs back to his feet and blocks a head kick that comes right after. The American suddenly changes levels, drags Arroyo down to a knee, but cannot keep him there before the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Arroyo
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Arroyo
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Arroyo

Round 2
Buckley comes out of his corner charging, but all he comes up with is a leg kick. Arroyo pays him one back, so Buckley springs to action with one more. Buckley strides ahead with a pair of jabs to the longer man, and he flings a head kick that is easily blocked. The middleweights go tit-for-tat with leg kicks, and their head kicks are either protected or avoided entirely. Buckley turns his hips into an inside leg kick, causing a momentary grimace on the face of the Brazilian as his thigh turns a brilliant shade of red. As Arroyo tries to back off, he goes for a back kick, and the kick clacks into Buckley’s cup. Buckley does not want to slow down, so he waves the foul off and continues pushing forward with short combinations. One salvo of strikes leads them to clinch up, and Arroyo backs him off with a knee to the sternum. Arroyo keeps his hands down and he lands a leg kick, following it up with a stiff jab as his hands go back to his waist. His feints have Buckley jumping away from him, and Buckley finally bites down to attack and is forced to block a high kick. Buckley tries to launch one back at him, but when it comes up hitting air, he whacks the lead leg. Buckley advances, and Arroyo times a perfect flying knee that collides directly into his chin. “New Mansa” eats it like St. Louis barbeque and presses in to clinch, but nothing can come from it. Buckley backs off as Arroyo stands, seemingly bored, in the center of the cage. The round ends as Arroyo goes for a jumping switch kick, only to pull it back before it connects so that it does not land after the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Arroyo
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Arroyo
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Arroyo

Round 3
Arroyo offers a touch of gloves, but Buckley is not interested in that. Instead, he chops down the inside thigh of his opponent, and Arroyo nearly falls over reaching after him with something. Buckley steps in with a head kick, but he cannot get it high enough to land where he intends. Buckley fires a heavy leg kick, and it gets checked as he takes a funny step. Suddenly, Buckley shoots in for a takedown, and Arroyo stuffs it and circles around to take his back. Buckley explodes back to his feet and lands a right hand, and Arroyo backs him off with a low kick. As a hematoma forms around his right temple, Buckley blitzes forward with looping right hooks, and a sharper, short left hand surprises “New Mansa.” The American continues to attack, keeping Arroyo on his heels and forced to defend.
Buckley wings a right hand that goes around the side of Arroyo’s head, hurting him, and an uppercut practically lifts Arroyo off the ground before sending him face-down to the ground. Buckley knows this is his moment, so with everything he has left, he leaps down and pummels Arroyo with right hammerfists.
The sledgehammers continue to lay waste to Arroyo until he goes limp with his hands at his sides. Smith recognizes that the Brazilian is out, and he rushes in to stop the fight. Very possibly down on the scorecards, Buckley scores yet another fantastic knockout, doing so against an opponent that had never before been knocked out.

The Official Result
Joaquin Buckley def. Antonio Arroyo R3 2:26 via KO (Punches)