With an impressive resume of 20 victories and 6 defeats, Joaquin Buckley has established himself as one of the best 170-pounders in the world. Currently ranked 9th in the stacked division, ‘New Mansa’ is looking to make a big name for himself this weekend at UFC on ESPN 63. Heading into Tampa with five wins on the trot, Buckley has a chance to make a statement against former interim champion, Colby Covington.

As he climbs to the top of the ranking table slowly but surely, a question has been on the mind of the fans about the nationality and ethnicity of Joaquin Buckley. Well, ahead of his anticipated clash, let’s have a deeper look at the 30-year-old’s life.

All about Joaquin Buckley’s race, nationality, and ethnicity

Born on April 27, 1994, Joaquin Buckley started his MMA training when he was in high school by making wrestling his base. ‘New Mansa’ eventually grew his interest in the field of MMA and soon transitioned to fighting full-time. Born and brought up in the streets of St. Louis, Missouri, Buckley started training in MMA in a gym in his hometown.

Well, talking about his nationality, Joaquin Buckley is 100% American but his ethnicity appears to be a bit diverse. The fighter considers himself to be African-American, but if we have a closer look at the origin of his name, then we get a different picture. Why, you might ask? Well, that’s because the last name ‘Buckley’ finds its roots particularly in the United States, England, and Ireland rather than in any of the African nations.

Immigration reports suggest that a massive number of people named ‘Buckley’ came to the States during the peak of wartime. Regardless, there might be multiple reasons why ‘New Mansa’ has such a name. Well, now that we know about his ethnicity and nationality. Let us have a look at his parents.

What happened to Buckley’s mother and father?

Joaquin Buckley’s childhood was tumultuous, as his father was never in the picture. As he grew up in a matriarchal household, ‘New Mansa’ understood the importance of women in one’s life. His mother and his grandmother raised him. “My mom was the really strict one. I had to be in the house at a certain time, I had to do my homework, and I had to get everything done,” said Buckley told ‘MMA Junkie’ in 2015.

‘New Mansa’ considered his grandmother to be his role model and also credited his grandparents for instilling various things in him. According to him, “My grandma was more lenient. She would encourage me to get out and be creative and have fun.” His grandmother’s efforts led Buckley to write stories when he was younger, during a time when he kept more to himself.

Well, things changed when he was in the sixth grade as he lost his mother due to some heart condition. After losing his only parent, Buckley turned a little bit numb, but he found solace in fighting. Well, the fighter is looking to make his lineage proud as he is claiming the ranks. Regardless, what’s your take on Joaquin Buckley? Can he slay Colby Covington to climb further up the rankings this weekend? State your thoughts in the comments below.