Joaquin Buckley Calls for Belal Muhammad Showdown at UFC 326

Joaquin Buckley wants to face Belal Muhammad at UFC 326.

Buckley (21-7 MMA, 11-5 UFC) hasn’t competed since last June, when he had his 6-fight winning streak snapped by former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta. He spent the remainder of 2025 eyeing a matchup against the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), but with the fact that he is coming off a defeat, “New Mansa” is struggling to grab the attention of any of the contenders ranked above him at 170 pounds.

The former middleweight has now switched his attention toward Muhammad (24-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC), who has suffered quite the fall from grace in 2025.

“Remember the Name” began the year as the UFC welterweight champion but went on to lose his belt when he was outpointed over 5 rounds by Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in May.

His attempt at getting right back in the mix failed when he lost to Ian Machado Garry in the co-main event at UFC Qatar in November, leaving Muhammad on the outside looking in at the swarm of contenders gathering at 170 pounds…just like Buckley.

“Belal, I like that,” Buckley said in a video posted to his Instagram account. “2026, you're trying to get a win. But when are you trying to get a win? When, right? Because when you're taking these goals and when you're making, you know, big plans for the new year, you got to be real specific, right? So put a date on it.

“See, I got a date for you. March 7th. Let's make it happen in Vegas, right? Less money, and we can both aim for both our goals, is to get a win. A win. 100%. Let's go.”

UFC 326 is set to take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 7, with a BMF title fight between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira at the top of the bill.