Overview
- During the ceremonial face‑offs at Rogers Place on Friday, Buckley refused handshakes from UFC president Dana White and opponent Mike Malott and then gave no answers in a backstage interview with McKenzie Pavacich.
- Video of the incident was widely shared on social platforms and showed White looking surprised and matchmaker Hunter Campbell exchanging a puzzled glance.
- Malott publicly downplayed the theatrics and the UFC has not announced any disciplinary action, with the Buckley‑Malott main event still scheduled to stream on Paramount+ on Saturday night.
- The snub follows months of public friction between Buckley and promotion leadership, including his complaint about being passed over for a 2025 title shot and recent losses that have put his top‑10 spot at risk.
- How the fight unfolds will likely shape the fallout: a strong Buckley win would frame the behavior as a calculated mind game, while a loss would intensify fan speculation that the incident damaged his standing with the UFC.