Joaquin Buckley isn`t ready to concede the next welterweight title shot to anyone, especially lightweight king Islam Makhachev.
Known as “New Mansa,” Buckley is set to face former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in the highly anticipated main event of UFC Atlanta this Saturday. With an impressive undefeated record of 6-0 since moving to the 170-pound division, including significant wins over top contenders like Colby Covington and Stephen Thompson, Buckley believes a victory over Usman should undeniably position him as the number one contender.
However, the UFC has already indicated a different direction, with plans for welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena`s first title defense to be against the Pound-for-Pound number one fighter, Islam Makhachev, who intends to vacate his lightweight belt to pursue a second championship.
Undeterred by the promotion`s apparent plans, Buckley remains firm in his stance.
Speaking on his show, `Buck What You Heard,` Buckley asserted that defeating Kamaru Usman means “it’s title time.” He argued his welterweight record—undefeated, with knockouts against ranked opponents (potentially a fourth against Usman)—is unmatched. He feels the planned Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev fight is “not a massive fight” and believes Makhachev, moving up from 155 lbs, should wait.
Buckley views himself as the toughest potential challenge for Makhachev in the division and says Islam would likely “run” from him. “I truly believe that Islam’s got to sit back and just wait for me to get my title because I will be the hardest fight that Islam has,” Buckley stated.
He expressed confidence across all aspects of the fight: “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.”
Buckley also speculated that even if Islam were to defeat Della Maddalena, he might not stay in the division long because he`s “not a natural 170 fighter.” Therefore, Buckley feels he must secure the title himself first, acknowledging that “the world ain’t fair, sometimes you don’t get what you deserve. So this is why we’ve got to demand it. We’ve got to go after it and we’ve got to take it.”
Despite his focus on the title picture, Buckley maintained respect for his upcoming opponent, Kamaru Usman, recognizing the former champion`s status and potential preparation.
Predicting the outcome of their fight, Buckley offered only two possibilities: “We’re either going to be knocking out Kamaru Usman or this is going to be Fight of the Night. That’s the only two options.” He added that if Usman hasn`t prepared adequately as a former champion, he`s “definitely getting knocked out come June 14.”
While Joaquin Buckley makes a strong case based on his welterweight run and potential win over Usman, the path to a title shot, particularly over a champion vs. champion superfight involving Islam Makhachev, remains uncertain.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely