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USA Today
17 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Stephen Thompson picks Joaquin Buckley to beat Kamaru Usman: 'Guy's evolving every time'
Stephen Thompson picks Joaquin Buckley to beat Kamaru Usman: 'Guy's evolving every time' Stephen Thompson is impressed with the evolution in his former UFC foe's game. Thompson (17-7-1 MMA, 12-7-1 UFC) was knocked out by Joaquin Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in his most recent outing at UFC 307 this past October. Buckley went on to stop former interim champion Colby Covington, and now draws former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) on June 14 in the UFC on ESPN 69 headliner at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. "Wonderboy" finds it hard to bet against Buckley. "Buckely's been on a tear, man," Thompson told Inside Fighting. "The guy is hungry, he's got great wrestling. You saw what it did to Colby Covington. I think it's going to be a tough night for both. But I think Kamaru Usman is going to do the same old jab, shoot for the leg, maybe a little bit of boxing. Buckley, you don't know what he's going to pull out of the hat. "The guy's evolving every time I see this guy fight, so that's what's going to make this fight so interesting for sure. Buckley's wanted it. He's wanted to move up the rankings, and Kamaru Usman is kind of working his way down a little bit, but he's still part of the welterweight division and in the top five. I'm kind of leaning towards Buckley." Former title challenger Thompson will look to rebound from his loss to Buckley when he takes on rising welterweight Gabriel Bonfim (17-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 70 on July 12 from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Joaquin Buckley: Islam Makhachev 'going to give a lot of guys issues' at welterweight
Joaquin Buckley: Islam Makhachev 'going to give a lot of guys issues' at welterweight Joaquin Buckley believes former UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev's skill set will translate well to 170 pounds. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) vacated his lightweight title for a move up to welterweight and is expected to challenge recently crowned champion Jack Della Maddalena later in the year. Top contender Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC), who meets Kamaru Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) on June 14 in the UFC on ESPN 69 headliner at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, sees Makhachev hanging with the welterweight division's elite. "I think compared to some of the welterweight fighters, he matches up very well," Buckley told Inside Fighting. "With his strong grappling, with his strong submission game, being able to be somewhat confident on the feet, he's going to give a lot of guys a lot of issues. That being said, I think he'll do just fine at welterweight." Regardless of what happens in the next title fight, Buckley expects a win over former champion Usman to guarantee him as the No. 1 contender. "This is it," Buckley said. "I truly believe that, with the performance that I put on against Kamaru Usman on June 14 here in Atlanta, there's no doubt that the UFC should allow me and whoever else to fight for the title. The next one is the belt at the end of the day. It doesn't matter who it is. That opportunity, that title is going to be around my waist."
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Video: Nate Diaz, Jake Shields involved in wild brawl on Russian reality show
Video: Nate Diaz, Jake Shields involved in wild brawl on Russian reality show Unfortunately we only got part of the fight footage in Thailand but here I am breaking down what I have with Jon Jones and Nate Diaz — Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) May 21, 2025 Nate Diaz can add Thailand to his melee passport. During the recent filming of a Russian fight-related reality series, "ALF Reality," Diaz and his entourage engaged in a scuffle with one of the contestants. Diaz's longtime friend and training partner, Jake Shields, was also present and released video clips of the brawl on social media Wednesday. "ALF Reality" is a similarly-themed show to "The Ultimate Fighter." It's previous season featured Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan as coaches. This time, it was Nate Diaz and Jon Jones. "He's going to come over to Nate and start talking crap," Shields said in the narrated video. "Now he's talking to the boss. Right here he comes to Nate, and he starts saying, 'Oh, I'm a gangster,' kind of flashing Nate a little bit. You see Nate flash him back. That guy's running his mouth. I wasn't paying attention. I should've been. My fault. Luckily our guy Jose right there, he was watching. You can see him in the situation." The video shows a light physical exchange between Diaz and the contestant, as show-runners, fighters, and entourage members jump between. The physicality increased as the contestant appeared to take a couple shots before putting his fists up to seemingly square off with any and all comes. "Now the guy tried to spazz out and started acting crazy as people circled him," Shields said. "I didn't know this guy was known for fighting. ... Had I been smart and watched the show, I'd realized this guy has been constantly being in fights. There are videos of him constantly coming up and choking people from behind." Shields said the incident took place in a mansion, with multiple other rooms stemming off from where the melee took place. Diaz stood back, alongside Jones, as the contestant was restrained only for him to return moments later in a rage. Eventually, an Inside Fighting reporter grabbed hold of the irate contestant, who eventually charged and tackled the media member. Clips showed people pulling and pushing, grabbing and shoving as the brawl was sorted out. Shields, 46, shared video of him on the ground, being kicked and grabbed by the angry mob – which he says was not limited just to fighters. "They tried telling me that the fighters jumped me," Shields said. "But to me, it was very clear to me that it was the staff and the workers. That was one of those moments where I was like, 'OK, I better diffuse the situation because what you see there is just a small percentage of the guys who were there. There were over a hundred Chechen and Dagestani guys. So I was like, 'Maybe instead of trying to fight these guys on an excluded island or a beach, it's better to calm it down a little."
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Beneil Dariush explains how Islam Makhachev could be stuck in a lose-lose fight with Ilia Topuria
Islam Makhachev 's potential fight against Ilia Topuria has sparked plenty of buzz in the MMA world, but not all attention is positive. While many fans eagerly anticipate the clash between the lightweight champion and the rising star, UFC lightweight Beneil Dariush believes Makhachev is caught in a lose-lose situation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The crux of the issue lies in the expectations surrounding Makhachev, who seems to be in an uncomfortable position, whether he wins, loses, or even if the fight doesn't happen at all. Here's why Dariush thinks it's a tough call for Makhachev. The high stakes of Islam Makhachev's potential fight with Ilia Topuria has already cemented his status as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world, with wins over former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and others. So why is the fight with , a fighter still building his legacy in the UFC, considered a potentially problematic choice for Makhachev? According to Beneil Dariush, it all boils down to the way fans react to victories and losses in today's "toxic" MMA culture . 'Islam Makhachev won't receive credit whether he does or doesn't fight Ilia Topuria,' Dariush told Inside Fighting. 'If the lightweight champ proved to be successful in that matchup, there would be a contingent of fans who would downplay his accomplishments due to the fact that he already beat Alexander Volkanovski on two occasions.' Dariush argues that even a win over Topuria may not elevate Makhachev the way it should, given the fact that many fans may dismiss the victory as just another notch on the belt, given Volkanovski's dominance in two separate weight classes. On the other hand, a loss to Topuria would be a huge setback, especially considering the expectations of MMA fans. Makhachev also faces the pressure of an expectation that this fight must happen, something Dariush believes makes it even harder for the champion. 'It's like, 'Ah, you gotta fight this guy,'' Dariush said. 'The champion gets to fight whoever he wants kind of.' Why Islam Makhachev might benefit from delaying his next fight Although Ilia Topuria has made it clear that he will be competing at UFC 317 , the timeline for Islam Makhachev's next fight is still up in the air. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Dariush suggests that Makhachev could take a step back and wait for a better opportunity, especially considering the lightweight champion just fought this year. 'He could wait because he just fought and he could wait a little bit and see who's going to be available,' Dariush said. Given that Topuria is a featherweight and Makhachev has already fought elite competition, Dariush suggests that Makhachev could afford some time before making his next move. Also Read: Islam Makhachev finds himself in a difficult position where no matter what choice he makes, the outcome could be less than satisfying in the eyes of some MMA fans. Whether he fights Topuria or waits for a different opportunity, the Russian fighter's next move could have a significant impact on his legacy. It's a delicate balancing act between satisfying fans and managing his career trajectory as one of the UFC's most elite champions.
USA Today
28-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Joaquin Buckley rips Ian Machado Garry's 'trash' UFC Kansas City win over Carlos Prates
Joaquin Buckley rips Ian Machado Garry's 'trash' UFC Kansas City win over Carlos Prates Welterweight standout has fight booked vs. ex-champ Usman Joaquin Buckley was not impressed with Ian Machado Garry's performance at UFC on ESPN 66. Machado Garry (16-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) survived a late scare to defeat Carlos Prates (21-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC) by unanimous decision in Saturday's main event at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. Machado Garry was in firm control throughout the fight, until he was reversed on the ground and ate some hard ground and pound late in Round 5. Prates tried to swarm Machado Garry for the finish, but it was too little, too late. "I think it was trash," Buckley told Inside Fighting of Machado Garry's in. "I really think Ian Garry had the potential to really put it on Prates, but he tried to play it safe the whole time, tried to keep from getting knocked out. Obviously, we've seen that Prates, in that fifth round, he was trying to get to him, and he turned Ian Garry into a booty boy – my man trying to wrestle, my man trying to hold on for dear life. But I feel like Ian Garry played himself. He really could have had a Performance of the Night-type ending, but you know, too scared." Machado Garry was asked about Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) in the post-fight news conference, but dismissed him immediately. "That man is an absolute p*ssy," Machado Garry said. "I don't care for anything he has to say. Leave him to be him, and let's move on." Buckley will look to emerge as a title contender when he takes on former 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.
