Fight fans are used to bold callouts. Someone wants a title shot, someone else demands a specific opponent, and every now and then, someone claims they’d beat Jon Jones in a street fight (they wouldn’t). But a UFC welterweight has thrown a curveball. Forget championship belts and personal grudges, his latest demand is about who shouldn’t be fighting. And his reasoning? Well, let’s just say it’s got UFC boss Dana White in a matchmaking dilemma he never saw coming.

“UFC for this month please do not book any of the Black fighters against one another,” Joaquin Buckley posted, tying his request to Black History Month. His logic? “This is not a month Black people should be fighting each other. Instead, we should be celebrating one another and be uplifting.” A noble sentiment, no doubt, but this is the fight game, not a networking event. And just when you thought Buckley was getting all sentimental, he hit fans with a classic closer, “But next month I am beating a ni**a a**.”

You have to admire the range. One moment, it’s about unity and uplifting, and the next, it’s right back to business as usual, punches, kicks, and all. But his post does raise an interesting question. Should the UFC ever adjust matchmaking based on cultural significance? Is February a time for celebration outside the cage but business as usual inside it?

For all the wild matchmaking ideas that have come through UFC’s doors, Dana White has remained consistent about one thing, business comes first. And in this business, the best fight the best, regardless of the month.

How is Dana White honouring black history while possibly overlooking matchup suggestions?

That said, the UFC isn’t exactly ignoring Black History Month. In fact, simultaneous to Buckley’s post, the promotion had already announced its lineup of celebrations. They’re putting the spotlight on fighters who paved the way, guys like Zane Frazier and Art Jimmerson, who stepped into the cage at UFC 1 before anyone even knew what MMA was. Jim Brown, yes, the NFL legend, was in the commentary booth for that same event, bringing an early mainstream presence to the sport.

Then there are the legends who took things to another level. Anderson Silva, the guy who turned Rich Franklin’s face into an abstract painting at UFC 64 to claim the middleweight belt. Or Jon Jones, who in 2011 became the youngest UFC champion in history at just 23, because why wait? And let’s not forget Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, whose flyweight reign kicked off in 2012 and lasted six years.

Fast forward to today, and the UFC is still making history. Leon Edwards’ head-kick heard ‘round the world at UFC 278 didn’t just dethrone Kamaru Usman, it made him the first Jamaican-born UFC champion. And Daniel Cormier? He didn’t just win the heavyweight strap; he joined an exclusive club of fighters who’ve held titles in two divisions at once.

So, will Dana White suddenly reshuffle fights to keep Buckley happy? Highly unlikely. The UFC’s response to Black History Month is clear, they’re honoring legends, highlighting history, and keeping business as usual inside the Octagon. But what Buckley has done, perhaps unintentionally, is spark a bigger conversation about where sports, culture, and competition collide.

Is there a place for cultural solidarity in combat sports? Or is the best way to honor history simply stepping into the cage and putting on a show? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!