Earlier this year, UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley shocked his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, after confidently defeating Nursulton Ruziboev to secure his fourth consecutive win at UFC St. Louis. Riding high on his victory, St. Louis Native made waves by calling out UFC superstar Conor McGregor. But he didn’t stop there; in a bold move to grab everyone’s attention, Buckley took his trash talk further by insulting ‘Notorious’s ancestors, saying, “Your great-great grand-pappy was a h*e.” This statement quickly became the talk of the town, the first time anyone had dared to challenge the “King of Trash,” Conor McGregor, in such a way.

Back in the summer, fans were eagerly awaiting the return of their favorite MMA star, Conor McGregor, to the octagon at UFC 303 after a 3-year hiatus, while his opponent, Michael Chandler, was preparing for his ‘Red Panty Night.’ No one could have predicted that someone outside the top 10 rankings, like Joaquin Buckley, would boldly call out ‘Notorious’ in an attempt to gain fame in front of the entire crowd in his hometown.

After the conclusion of UFC Fight Night, when commentator Michael Bisping entered the octagon to ask the St. Louis native who he wanted next, Buckley wasted no time. He boldly called out Conor McGregor, saying, “Come at me, bro! Come at me! You said you built your weight up, but you’re bullying Sean O’Malley and Ryan Garcia. Come and bully me, dog! Come and bully me, and let’s see what you’re really about. I did research on the McGregor name, and you come from a long, long line of ho*s.” However, in an unexpected twist, the UFC St. Louis crowd didn’t hesitate to boo their hometown hero, Buckley.

Despite his short-tempered nature, Conor McGregor didn’t even consider Joaquin Buckley’s remarks worth responding to. While ‘Mystic Mac’ brushed it off, many other MMA legends saw it as an opportunity to humble the St. Louis native, ensuring St. Louis Native’s bold call-out didn’t go unnoticed.

MMA legends hated Joaquin Buckley calling out Conor McGregor

It’s every newcomer fighter’s dream, regardless of the promotion or the sport, whether it’s UFC, BKFC, or boxing, to fight Conor McGregor, who holds superstar status in the combat sports world. His appeal goes beyond his skills; his ability to sell pay-per-views is unmatched. Nearly six years after UFC 229, it still remains the most-watched UFC event in history. In a rush to chase that fame, Joaquin Buckley called out ‘Mystic Mac’, not realizing his bold move would backfire when it caught the attention of MMA heavyweights like Daniel Cormier.

Speaking on his Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast, Cormier criticized Buckley, saying, “That was horrible. How do you do that? I don’t know what he was doing, Chael. It was by far the worst. Then he goes and calls Conor McGregor’s dad a bad name. It was even worse. It was bad.” In response, Chael Sonnen, who previously interviewed Joaquin Buckley at UFC St. Louis, couldn’t help but weigh in. He labeled St. Louis Native’s remarks a “lie,” claiming, “He had a plan to some degree, and a lot of guys think that if they can just say the name Conor McGregor.”

After facing all the backlash and embarrassment from fans and MMA legends, Joaquin Buckley has not attempted to call out Conor McGregor again. Now, all eyes are on the upcoming UFC event in Salt Lake City, where St. Louis Native will be looking to extend his winning streak to five against veteran Stephen Thompson. Who will you be rooting for—Buckley or Thompson? Drop your opinion below.