Joaquin Buckley predicts KO win over Kamaru Usman in possible UFC welterweight banger
Joaquin Buckley is ready to take a major step up, and he feels the timing is right for a Kamaru Usman showdown.
Buckley impressed many fans and experts with his performance at UFC 307. He had a competitive affair with crowd favorite Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Buckley was able to swarm his opponent and land body shots before knocking out Thompson with a punch upstairs.
It was a sensational finish for Buckley, who now seeks “The Nigerian Nightmare.”
Joaquin Buckley Thinks He’d Finish Kamaru Usman
During his UFC 307 post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Joaquin Buckley called for a clash with former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Buckley doubled down on the challenge when speaking to reporters during the post-fight presser (h/t MMAJunkie).
“(I’m) 5-0 in the welterweight division right now,” Buckley said. “Me putting on a tear, I feel like at the end of the day Usman being a former champion will kind of prove and cement my name that I should fight for a title next.”
Buckley went one step further, expressing his belief that he can send Usman to dream street.
“I think I can knock out Usman,” Buckley said. “Immediately – yeah, immediately. Breaking records.”
Buckley will crack the top 10 on the official UFC welterweight rankings in the next update. Usman holds the number two spot, so it’s certainly a clear path to the top five and possibly a title opportunity. It’ll be interesting to see if the UFC matchmakers agree on this being the next move at 170 pounds.
Usman hasn’t been in action since October 2023 when he dropped a unanimous decision to Khamzat Chimaev on short notice.
Stick with BJPenn.com for the latest updates on what’s next for Joaquin Buckley and Kamaru Usman as time rolls along.
