Joaquin Buckley has been under fire lately, following his brash display of self-assuredness leading up to his UFC Atlanta bout. He viewed his contest against Kamaru Usman as his stepping stone towards the championship title, an aspiration that did not turn out as he had planned. Usman, popularly known as the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’, introduced Buckley to the reasons behind his previous reign as the topmost contender pound-for-pound. Post Buckley’s unsatisfactory performance, UFC’s Kevin Holland directed a veiled jab towards him, ridiculing his allegation that Islam Makhachev had been steering clear of him.
The exhibition at UFC Atlanta shed light on the deficiencies in Joaquin Buckley’s groundwork. Kamaru Usman, boasted superior grappling skills, managing to maintain dominance throughout a significant portion of the fight, leaving Buckley’s feeble attempts to counter in the shadows. Buckley did attempt a late counterattack, but by then, Usman had inflicted significant damage.
What Buckley anticipated to be a landmark moment in his career instead ended up illustrating his shortfalls when matched against stellar wrestlers like Usman. His struggle on the ground did not go unnoticed by spectators, attracting comments about his performance, particularly from Kevin Holland.
Holland openly criticized Buckley’s sub-par grappling capabilities and hypothesized that Makhachev would have an easy time dealing with him. “Islam smokes ’em,” were his precise words. More than just a rebuke, Holland suggested that against Islam’s control mastery on the ground, Buckley would fare poorly in comparison, dismissing the speculated bout as a light task.
Kevin Holland’s views triggered a wave of agreement, raising doubts about Buckley’s readiness to compete with the division’s upper matrix that is underscored by a robust wrestling approach. Recently, Buckley voiced thoughts about Makhachev’s fighting selections, accusing him of sidestepping formidable opponents.
Accordingly, Buckley airs a suspicion that Makhachev moved up the weight scale because a fight with Jack Della Maddalena would present less of a challenge. He added that had he (Buckley) succeeded in defeating Belal Muhammad and taken the welterweight title, Makhachev would have chosen to remain in the lightweight division to avoid an encounter with him as it would be a tougher bout.
However, after a series of public call-outs to top-tier players such as Islam Makhachev and presenting himself as a potential title contender, the lackluster performance against Usman has resulted in the MMA community expecting more from him. Now, the crash against Usman has prompted a surge in condemnation.
Dillon Danis, among Buckley’s critics, capitalized on the loss as an opportunity to question Buckley’s standing in MMA. As critics latch onto his defeat, the narrative around the fighter’s credibility in UFC has been thrown into question.
This shift has meant that the discussion is no longer just about his performance, but also his credibility as a competitor, and whether or not he’s ready to face top-tier talent. The rhetoric has prominently shifted from his previously projected future as a champion towards examining his readiness to face such contenders.
While Buckley was forceful in his claims, his performance has left much to be desired, significantly considering his bold claims about his readiness for major fights. The fighting scenario held earlier at UFC Atlanta evidently speaks volumes about the need for Buckley to up his game before he gets to engage with the big leagues again.
In the wake of his loss, this defeat stings particularly due to the confidence and proclamations prior to the fight. The critical perspective on his performance has undoubtedly intensified. Although everyone has setbacks, the failure to meet the demands of the bout after his defiant pre-fight discourse have amplified the impact of his defeat.
There have been cases where fighters bounced back stronger from defeat, and the same could happen for Buckley. Yet, the setback against Usman has brought him under intense scrutiny, especially due to his prior high-profile challenges to fighters such as Makhachev. To dwell in the top sphere of the UFC, Buckley must evidently exhibit more than just hollow bravado.
Henceforth, Buckley’s journey in UFC presents a twofold challenge: the pressing need to firmly establish his credibility following a string of criticisms and the necessity to prove his claims of being a formidable fighter capable of challenging the top echelons of his division. Only time will reveal whether his claims can hold up against the realities of MMA’s competitive landscape.