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USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC's Joaquin Buckley says he's 'worst nightmare' for Islam Makhachev at welterweight
UFC's Joaquin Buckley says he's 'worst nightmare' for Islam Makhachev at welterweight Joaquin Buckley warns Islam Makhachev of his move to the UFC's welterweight division. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that, upon vacating his lightweight title, Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) will get an immediate shot at newly crowned welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena at a date to be determined. Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) will look to emerge as the next title challenger when he takes on former champion Kamaru Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) on June 14 in the UFC on ESPN 69 headliner at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. If the stars align and he gets an opportunity to face Makhachev, Buckley is confident that he has the style to pose him the most problems. "Even though Islam and I have never had a connection, I'll tell you right now, he's going to know a lot about me if we ever get booked to fight," Buckley said in an interview with Parry Punch. "The people he has struggled with and the people that have shown a couple of holes in his game, I'm going to be his worst nightmare, not JDM. JDM has a lot of holes that Islam can exploit. "We've seen that with the Gilbert Burns fight. Actually, we've seen it with several fights from JDM where he was struggling in the grappling. But with me, and what I did to Colby, and what I'm going to do to Kamaru Usman, Islam, it's going to be in his head. Even Khabib is probably going to tell him maybe moving up ain't a good idea. I bet you, but I'm hunting for that. I want that pound-for-pound." Buckley has shined since dropping back down to 170 pounds. He is 6-0 as a welterweight in the UFC, most recently stopping Colby Covington by TKO in the UFC on ESPN 63 headliner this past December.
USA Today
05-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC on ESPN 69 main event
Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC on ESPN 69 main event Joaquin Buckley will look to emerge as a title challenger when he meets a former champion at UFC on ESPN 69. Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman preview Since dropping back down to 170 pounds, Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) is unbeaten in the octagon. "New Mansa" is coming off a TKO of Colby Covington in the UFC on ESPN 63 headliner this past December. Usman was among three names Buckley called out after his win. Kamaru Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) will look to rebound from a three-fight losing skid. The former UFC welterweight champion hasn't competed since a majority decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev in a short-notice middleweight fight at UFC 294 in October 2023. Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman odds According to BetRivers, Buckley is a moderate -235 favorite to beat former champion Usman, who's a -185 underdog. How to watch Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman at UFC on ESPN 69
USA Today
01-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Joaquin Buckley prepares for next move after Kamaru Usman: 'There are no stars in the UFC'
Joaquin Buckley prepares for next move after Kamaru Usman: 'There are no stars in the UFC' Joaquin Buckley sees big opportunities if he can take out a former UFC champion in impressive fashion. Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) meets Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) June 14 in the UFC on ESPN 69 headliner at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The streaking knockout artist thinks the UFC is in dire need of a star, and sees himself being the one to step up. Buckley explains why he is rooting for welterweight champion Belal Muhammad to beat Jack Della Maddalena in the UFC 315 headliner on May 10 in Montreal. "I always like to prepare for that next move," Buckley said in a video on his Instagram. "Once I beat Kamaru Usman, my mentality and where I want to go is to get that belt. Pray Belal is the one that wins because if he doesn't win, if JDM wins, I already know the UFC got different moves that they're trying to do. So I'm hoping Belal wins. Once he wins, knock his ass out, and then go ahead and proceed to be the biggest star in the UFC. "Right now, the big talk is that there are no stars in the UFC right now, and if there are, they either lost or fumbled the bag in some type of way. So I really feel like this is my opportunity to really show up and show out. Yet again, I've got to go into that cage, get my hand raised – but not only get my hand raised, go out there and dominate this man and get the knockout that I know that I can get." Buckley got his wish of drawing Usman. After he stopped Colby Covington by TKO in the UFC on ESPN 63 headliner this past December, he turned to the crowd to chime in on who he should face next. Of the three names he mentioned, Usman got the loudest pop and Buckley will indeed be the one to welcome "The Nigerian Nightmare" back in the cage.
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kamaru Usman reacts to UFC Atlanta return vs. Joaquin Buckley: 'Your boy is back'
Kamaru Usman reacts to UFC Atlanta return vs. Joaquin Buckley: 'Your boy is back' Former champion scheduled to be back in action in June Kamaru Usman is excited to make his UFC return against a dangerous contender. Former welterweight champion Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) takes on the surging Joaquin Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 257 main event June 14 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Usman hasn't competed since losing a short-notice fight to No. 1 middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev in October 2023, his third loss in a row. He's been rehabilitating his body ever since. "You know how they be Henry. They said I was going to do this, do that. But guess what Henry? I'm tired of all the talking," Usman said on the "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Henry Cejudo. "I had to take a little bit of a sabbatical, like I've said, but now I'm back from that sabbatical. That's right Henry. You heard it right: Your boy is back." Buckley is unbeaten in the octagon since dropping back down to 170 pounds, finishing four of his six opponents – most recently a TKO of Colby Covington in the UFC on ESPN 63 headliner this past December. "It's a great fight," Usman said of Buckley. "He's very aggressive, he's strong, he's athletic, and I like that. Every now and again, that warrior spirit, you need to exercise it. That's where we come from, Henry. I'm one of those guys where I put in so much time and effort, that you've got to feel the fight a little bit. "You want to get in there and feel like you got into a fight, and I've been in a couple where I wasn't touched, and I got out of there, in the back, still adrenaline going, feeling like I need to burn off some energy. But hopefully, if he does his homework, everything comes together, it's going to be an incredible fight."
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Joaquin Buckley draws former champion Kamaru Usman in June UFC Fight Night 257 headliner
Joaquin Buckley will get his wish after calling out a former UFC champion. Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) takes on ex-welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 257 main event June 14 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. The promotion officially announced the matchup Friday evening. Buckley sought help from the crowd on who he should face next after stopping Colby Covington by TKO in the UFC on ESPN 63 headliner this past December. Amongst the three options he mentioned, Usman got the loudest pop, and Buckley went with it. The 30-year-old is unbeaten in the octagon since dropping back down to 170 pounds, finishing four of his six opponents. Usman will return after an almost two-year long layoff. "The Nigerian Nightmare" is on a three-fight losing skid, most recently dropping a majority decision to Khamzat Chimaev in a short-notice middleweight bout at UFC 294 in October 2023. View this post on Instagram A post shared by UFC (@ufc) With the addition, the UFC Fight Night 257 lineup includes: Joaquin Buckley vs. Kamaru Usman Miranda Maverick vs. Rose Namajunas Alonzo Menifield vs. Oumar Sy Tereza Bleda vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth Andre Petroski vs. Edmen Shahbazyan Cody Durden vs. Jose Ochoa Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Cody Brundage This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Joaquin Buckley draws ex-champ Kamaru Usman in UFC Atlanta headliner
