Joaquin Buckley vs Nassourdine Imavov — Fight recap

Nassourdine Imavov defeated Joaquin Buckley via unanimous decision after three rounds on September 3, 2022, with referee Marc Goddard overseeing the bout. Imavov controlled the fight through superior striking efficiency and grappling, landing 51 significant strikes at a 46% clip compared to Buckley's 26% accuracy on 46 of 174 attempts.

The French middleweight secured two takedowns while maintaining 3:56 of control time, establishing dominance in the clinch and on the canvas, whereas Buckley failed to convert any of his three takedown attempts and managed only 29 seconds of control. Buckley's volume striking—particularly his 145 head strikes—couldn't overcome Imavov's precision and wrestling, as Imavov's 40 head strikes proved far more effective.

The decision reflected Imavov's tactical superiority in a middleweight contest that demonstrated the value of defensive wrestling and efficient striking over high-volume output. Imavov's win solidified his standing in the middleweight rankings and suggested he could compete with top-15 contenders.