Joaquin
Buckley wants to skip Islam
Makhachev in the title queue if he beats Kamaru
Usman.
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Buckley headlines UFC
Atlanta against Usman on Saturday at the State Farm Arena. “New
Mansa” is calling for the next welterweight title shot if he beats
the former champ on Saturday.
However, Makhachev, the former lightweight champion, is standing in
Buckley’s way. While Makhachev had long been eyeing a welterweight
move, his friend Belal
Muhammad’s title reign was a hurdle. However, that all changed
last month when Muhammad was dethroned by Jack
Della Maddalena in an upset at UFC 315 last month. Makhachev
immediately confirmed his move to 170 pounds, and UFC CEO Dana
White verbally guaranteed him the next title shot.
Buckley argues that even if Makhachev fights and beats Maddalena,
he’s not going to continue at welterweight. Buckley also believes
Makhachev will duck him, as he’ll stylistically be a hard matchup
for the Dagestani.
“Once I beat Kamaru
Usman, there’s no debate, there’s no argument, we up next,”
Buckley said on YouTube. “You got this guy from 155
coming up thinking he gonna take my spot… The JDM vs Islam fight is
not a massive fight to make… I truly believe that Islam just gotta
sit back and wait for me to get my title. Because I will be the
hardest fight that Islam has. He’s not gonna outwrestle me, he’s
not gonna submit me. I’ve never been submitted in my career. And he
definitely not gonna stand on the feet with me.
“…If Islam does beat JDM, he’s not gonna stay there. He’s gonna
retire… because he knows he’s not a natural 170 fighter. Especially
with myself, he’s definitely gonna run from a person like
me.”
Makhachev defended his lightweight title four times before moving
to welterweight. Buckley is riding a six-fight winning streak that
includes finishes over Stephen
Thompson, Vicente
Luque, and, most recently, Colby
Covington. Meanwhile, Usman hasn’t fought at welterweight since
consecutive title losses against Leon
Edwards in 2022 and 2023. That was followed by a majority
decision loss in a one-off middleweight outing against Khamzat
Chimaev in 2023.