Jun 14, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, UNITED STATES; Kamaru Usman (red gloves) fights Joaquin Buckley (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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“I Will Always Be The Boogeyman’ – Kamaru Usman Warns The Welterweight Division After Dominant Win Over Joaquin Buckley

Kamaru Usman finally gets back in the win column against Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta, proceeds to warn the division!

Jun 14, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, UNITED STATES; Kamaru Usman (red gloves) fights Joaquin Buckley (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Kamaru Usman turned back the clock at UFC Atlanta and reminded everyone why they used to call him the welterweight king. The former champion had been struggling lately, losing three fights in a row since 2022. Critics were starting to whisper that maybe his time was up. At 38 years old, Usman faced serious questions about whether he could still hang with the division’s hungry young wolves.

Joaquin Buckley had been tearing through the welterweight ranks like a buzzsaw. Buckley dropped down from middleweight and immediately started collecting scalps. He had beaten big names like Stephen Thompson and Colby Covington. Many fans saw this as Buckley’s chance to announce himself as a title contender. Instead, Usman showed the young gun that experience still matters in this game. The ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ delivered a vintage performance that silenced his doubters and sent a clear message to the entire division.

Kamaru Usman Breaks Down Joaquin Buckley

Usman’s game plan was simple but brutally effective from the opening bell. He mixed wrestling with ground control to neutralize Buckley’s striking power. The first round set the tone perfectly. Usman shot for takedowns early and often, putting Buckley on his back repeatedly. Once on top, he made Buckley carry his full body weight while landing sharp elbows from dominant positions.

The second and third rounds followed the same script. Buckley tried to keep things standing, but Usman’s wrestling was just too strong. Every time Buckley found some success on the feet, Usman would drag him back down. The former champion opened up a cut above Buckley’s right eye with those nasty ground strikes. By the fourth round, you could see the frustration building in Buckley’s corner.

BACK IN THE WINNING COLUMN 👏@Usman84KG dominated en route to his first victory since 2021!

[ #UFCAtlanta ] pic.twitter.com/HKjqvgFHAj
— UFC (@ufc) June 15, 2025

Things got interesting in the championship rounds though. Buckley started finding his range with uppercuts and combinations. He hurt Usman a few times when they stayed standing. His takedown defense also improved as the fight went on. The fifth round was Buckley’s best, but it was too little, too late. Usman had already banked enough rounds to secure the victory. The judges scored it 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 for the former champion.

Kamaru Usman Reminds Everyone Who He Is

Usman fought back tears during his post-fight interview with Paul Felder. Fans could see the emotion pouring out of him. This win meant everything after such a tough losing streak. For a fighter who dominated the division for years, those three losses probably felt like an eternity. But Kamaru Usman quickly composed himself and delivered one of the most memorable callouts in recent memory. He looked straight into the camera and addressed the UFC welterweight directly.

“The rest of the welterweight division, listen. I have and always will be the f****ng boogeyman.”

That statement carries serious weight coming from Usman. This is the same guy who defended the welterweight title five times. He beat elite fighters like Jorge Masvidal twice, Gilbert Burns, and Colby Covington. Leon Edwards may have taken his belt, but Usman just proved he’s still a major problem for anyone in the division. His wrestling looked as sharp as ever, and his conditioning held up through five hard rounds!

(Image Credit: Brett Davis – Imagn Images)

Joaquin Buckley

Kamaru Usman

UFC Atlanta

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!