UFC adds Joaquin Buckley vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan to Jan. 15 event

Two of the middleweight division’s heaviest hitters will throw down in January.

Joaquin Buckley (13-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) takes on Abdul Razak Alhassan (11-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) at UFC Fight Night on Jan. 15 in an event that doesn’t yet have a known venue or location.

A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. MMA Ideas was first to report the news.

Owner of one of the greatest knockouts in UFC history, Buckley was able to bounce back from his knockout loss to Alessio Di Chirico with another highlight reel finish when he starched Antonio Arroyo in the third round at UFC Fight Night 192 in September.

Also rebounding in emphatic fashion, Alhassan snapped a three-fight losing skid with a thunderous 17-second head kick knockout of Di Chirico at UFC on ESPN 30 in August. All five of Alhassan’s octagon wins have come by first-round stoppage.

With the addition, the Jan. 15 lineup includes:

• Giga Chikadze vs. Calvin Kattar

• Bill Algeo vs. Joanderson Brito

• Saidyokub Kakhramonov vs. Brian Kelleher

• Zarrukh Adashev vs. Kleydson Rodrigues

• Rogerio Bontorin vs. Brandon Royval

• Kay Hansen vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius

• Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Court McGee

• Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jennifer Maia

• Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Joaquin Buckley