Two handshakes offered during the UFC Fight Night 291 main event faceoff on Friday were firmly rejected. Joaquin Buckley declined both the extended hand of his opponent Mike Malott and the one from UFC CEO Dana White, choosing instead to lock eyes with Malott in a tense stare-down.
The event, held at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, will air Saturday on Paramount+. Buckley, with a 21-8 MMA record including 11-6 in the UFC, faces Malott, who holds a 14-2-1 MMA record and 7-1 inside the UFC cage.
As the fighters stepped forward for their official faceoff, Malott offered his hand as a gesture of sportsmanship, but Buckley ignored it, refusing the handshake. Moments later, Dana White approached and extended his hand to Buckley, who again chose not to accept. Instead, Buckley maintained an intense stare directed at Malott.
The co-main event between women’s flyweights Erin Blanchfield and Jasmine Jasudavicius also had its moments of friction, though less pronounced. Blanchfield, who has a 14-2 MMA record with 7-1 in the UFC, confronted Jasudavicius, whose record stands at 15-4 MMA and 9-3 in the UFC, during their faceoff. Blanchfield stepped in close and took issue with Jasudavicius’s arm encroaching near her face as they turned toward the crowd.
The refusal of handshakes by Buckley adds an unusual note to the pre-fight proceedings, diverging from the usual protocol where fighters exchange greetings to demonstrate respect before the bout. UFC officials and fighters have yet to publicly comment on Buckley’s decision.
The main event between Buckley and Malott is expected to be a decisive matchup, with both fighters holding strong UFC records and looking to enhance their standing in the division. The event continues the UFC’s run of Fight Night cards, drawing attention in Canada and internationally through Paramount+ streaming.
No further statements or reactions have been reported from Buckley, Malott, or UFC representatives regarding the handshake incident. UFC Fight Night 291 will proceed as scheduled on Saturday at Rogers Place.
According to Yahoo Sports.
