Joaquin Buckley isn`t convinced that a potential matchup between welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena and lightweight king Islam Makhachev is the biggest fight to make in the division right now. Instead, Buckley, known as “New Mansa,” asserts that *his* upcoming main event bout against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman this Saturday at UFC Atlanta should be the fight that propels him directly into title contention.
Buckley boasts an impressive undefeated record in his six appearances at 170 pounds, including recent significant wins over notable opponents like Colby Covington and Stephen Thompson. Despite his strong run, the UFC has reportedly indicated that Della Maddalena`s initial title defense is likely planned against Makhachev, the current Pound-for-Pound No. 1 fighter who intends to move up in weight class to pursue a second championship belt.
However, Buckley remains resolute in his stance. Speaking on his show, “Buck What You Heard,” he declared, “You already know once we beat Kamaru Usman, it’s title time. It’s time to go get my belt.” He argued that his activity and performance within the promotion, having 15 fights in five years and remaining undefeated in the welterweight division while knocking out ranked opponents, is unparalleled.
“You can’t name another guy that’s doing something like that,” Buckley stated. “So once I beat Kamaru Usman, there is no debate, there is no back-and-forth, there is no argument. We up next.” He specifically referenced Makhachev`s potential move, saying, “You already know we got this guy from 155 coming up thinking he going to take my spot. Nah, we can’t have it.”
Buckley dismissed the anticipated Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev fight as “not a massive fight,” believing he would pose a much tougher challenge for Makhachev. He expressed confidence in his abilities should they ever meet, claiming, “He’s not going to out-wrestle me. He’s not going to submit me, I’ve never been submitted in my career. And he’s definitely not going to stand on the feet with me.”
He further speculated that if Makhachev were to fight and defeat Della Maddalena for the welterweight title, he might not stay in the division long-term, suggesting Islam isn`t a natural 170-pounder and would avoid a fighter like Buckley. Therefore, Buckley feels it`s crucial to secure his title shot before such a scenario potentially unfolds. Acknowledging that the sport isn`t always fair, he emphasized the need to “demand it. We’ve got to go after it and we’ve got to take it.”
Despite his focus on the title, Buckley maintains respect for his upcoming opponent, Kamaru Usman, a former champion with multiple title defenses. He anticipates a challenging fight, predicting only two possible outcomes: either he knocks out Usman, or they deliver a “Fight of the Night” performance. Buckley believes that Usman, being a former champion and future Hall of Famer, is likely putting in the necessary work, but warned that if he isn`t fully prepared for June 14th, he will “definitely getting knocked out.”
