Joaquin Buckley believes that a win over Kamaru Usman this weekend would put him next in line for a title shot.
Buckley (21-6 MMA, 11-4 UFC) is scheduled to face former UFC welterweight champion Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) in the main event at UFC Atlanta this weekend.
It has been widely speculated that former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will receive an immediate shot at current welterweight titleholder Jack Della Maddalena following his decision to move up in weight class. However, having won all six of his fights since dropping down from 185 pounds two years ago, “New Mansa” insists he is more deserving than Makhachev of the opportunity to challenge “JDM.”
“Once you beat Kamaru Usman, right, there is no debate, there is no back and forth, there is no argument, like, we up next”, Buckley said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. “And you already know, you got this guy from 155 coming up thinking he gonna take my spot, right? Nah, we can't have it. I truly believe that, you know, with everything that's coming, you know, the JDM fight and Islam fight is not a massive fight to make. JDM is the world champion right now, but I truly believe that Islam got to sit back and just wait for me to get my title (shot) because I will be the hardest fight that Islam has. He's not going to out-wrestle me, right? He's not going to submit me. I've never been submitted in my career, and he's definitely not going to stand on his feet with me.
“If the people want to see it, it's going to be made. I already know that the fan base, you know, they know what JDM about. They know what he's good at, what he struggles at. That's a toss-up for Islam, you know, and don't get it twisted. If Islam does get blessed with that title shot and he does beat JDM, he's not going to stay there. He's going to retire. He's going to get up out of there quick, right? Because he knows he's not a natural 170 fighter. And especially with myself, he definitely going to run from a person like me.”
