Kamaru Usman reminded the world why he`s considered one of the greatest welterweights, delivering a classic performance to completely neutralize Joaquin Buckley and secure a dominant decision victory in the UFC Atlanta main event.
The fight was a masterclass in wrestling and ground control. Usman repeatedly took Buckley down throughout the early rounds, showcasing absolute dominance on the canvas. He opened a cut early and continued to inflict damage whenever he dragged Buckley to the mat.
Despite Buckley mounting a courageous effort in the fifth round, Usman had already built an insurmountable lead on the scorecards, ultimately securing his first win in nearly four years.
“It feels good,” Usman commented on the win. “It’s been a while, I needed to get that monkey off my back. I know I’m still able to do this at the highest level. Sometimes when you’re going up against a young, hungry guy like that, very talented, very aggressive, you’ve got to pull out the skills and use the experience. That’s what I did tonight.”
“I expected him to be really, really tough, which he was. I know what it takes to work and get up in here. Thank you to him for bringing everything that he brought.”
Usman wasted no time, quickly closing the distance to land a perfectly timed takedown in the opening round, putting Buckley on his back. He maintained a relentless pace, peppering Buckley with punches and constantly seeking to improve his position on the ground.
A short elbow from Usman resulted in a cut on Buckley, who seemed completely stuck on the bottom with no means of escaping or scrambling back up.
While Usman briefly engaged in striking exchanges in the second round, he soon initiated another takedown against the cage. His ground dominance was absolute, leaving Buckley in a defensive shell, simply holding on and hoping for a referee standup.
Buckley managed to land a solid right hook upon returning to his feet, but Usman absorbed it and immediately pressed forward. Moments later, Usman secured a deep single-leg takedown, bringing Buckley to the canvas for the third time in as many attempts.
Usman`s pressure was relentless, consistently landing punches and elbows until the horn sounded to end the third round.
Recognizing his deficit on the scorecards, Buckley became more aggressive in the championship rounds, landing a few of his best shots. However, Usman absorbed the impact effectively before exploding forward for yet another takedown. Buckley spent the majority of the final two rounds controlled on the ground, with Usman landing strikes with little fear of counter-attack.
Usman’s dominant wrestling performance also served as a powerful response to the constant criticism he faced during his layoff, specifically concerning the condition of his knees and his ability to take opponents down.
“I know it’s a running joke,” Usman stated. “Everybody wants to get on the internet and talk shit. Oh his knees, his knees! Well shut the f*ck up, I can still do what I do.”
In the final minutes, Buckley finally succeeded in stuffing Usman`s takedown attempts, drawing a loud reaction from the crowd. Usman continued to apply pressure, while Buckley swung with maximum power, desperately seeking a knockout blow.
Buckley certainly had moments of success and likely won the final round, but he couldn`t inflict sufficient damage to seriously hurt or finish Usman.
“I’m beyond just honored to be in this octagon with somebody who’s known as one of the best,” Buckley commented after the bout. “One of the GOATs to do it. For us to go five rounds, to put on an amazing fight, I’m just so happy. I’ve done come a long way and you all see me here. This ain’t going to be the end. We just getting started.”
This victory immediately propels Usman back into relevance within the 170-pound title picture, a division he reigned over for more than three years. His performance on Saturday undoubtedly sends a clear message that he is back and ready to face any challenge the UFC presents.
“I can do that to anybody,” Usman declared. “Any one of them. Those knockouts will come, I just needed this monkey off my back. The rest of the welterweight division, listen — I have been and always will be the f*cking boogeyman.”
Marcus Blakely