Joaquin Buckley sets the MMA world buzzing as he boldly calls out pound for pound #1 Islam Makhachev for a future showdown!
The UFC welterweight division just got a lot more interesting. Islam Makhachev, the pound-for-pound king who has dominated the lightweight scene for years, recently dropped a bombshell announcement. He is moving up to welterweight and vacating his lightweight throne. This decision sent shockwaves through the MMA world, especially since Makhachev has looked practically unbeatable at 155 pounds. Now,a new challenger, Joaquin Buckley is shooting his shot.
The Missouri native has been making serious waves in the welterweight division lately. His recent victory over three-time title challenger Colby Covington proved he belongs among the elite. Buckley didn’t just beat Covington, he dominated him in ways that shocked many fans. Now he is set to face former champion Kamaru Usman next month, another huge test that could catapult him into title contention. But Buckley isn’t just focused on his immediate future. He has already setting his sights on the UFC P4P king who wants to crash the welterweight party.
Buckley recently made some bold claims about a potential matchup with Makhachev. He believes he would be the Russian’s “worst nightmare” at welterweight, not the current champion Jack Della Maddalena. This might sound like typical fighter trash talk, but Buckley backs up his confidence with solid reasoning.
“Even though me and Islam have never had a connection, he’s going to know a lot about me if we ever get booked to fight. The people he has struggled with and the people that have shown a couple of holes in his game… I’m going to be his worst nightmare, not JDM. JDM has a lot of holes that Islam can exploit. But what I did to Colby and what I’m going to do to Kamaru. Even Khabib will probably tell him moving up ain’t a good idea,” Buckley told Parry Punch.
The interesting part of Buckley’s argument centers on stylistic matchups. He claims that while Della Maddalena might have holes that Makhachev can exploit, his own game presents unique problems for the lightweight champion. Buckley possesses knockout power in both hands and has shown he can stuff takedowns when needed. His wrestling defense has improved dramatically over the past few years. Plus, he’s naturally bigger and stronger than most fighters Makhachev has faced. The size difference alone could neutralize some of Makhachev’s grappling advantages.
While Buckley’s confidence is admirable, Islam Makhachev presents challenges that go far beyond wrestling. The current pound-for-pound number one has evolved into a complete mixed martial artist. His striking has improved dramatically under the guidance of his team. Remember, this is the same fighter who knocked out Volkanovski. He also outpointed one of the best boxers in the sport, Dustin Poirer. Makhachev’s fight IQ is off the charts, and he adapts mid-fight better than almost anyone!
(Image Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck – Imagn Images)
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