Joaquin Buckley Slams "Stalling" Tactics of Kamaru Usman and Sean Brady
Joaquin Buckley had quite a frustrated reaction while talking about his last two losses at the hands of Sean Brady and Kamaru Usman.
Joaquin Buckley is not hiding his emotions on his recent stretch in the UFC's welterweight division. After dropping consecutive decision losses to former champion Kamaru Usman and top contender Sean Brady, the explosive 32-year-old striker expressed deep frustration over what he views as blatant stalling on the canvas.
Reflecting on his recent cage time, the St. Louis native drew a stark contrast between his past opponents, including former interim champion Colby Covington, whom Buckley fought in late 2024. Despite taking a loss in that bout, Buckley respected the pace Covington set compared to the grinding top control of his subsequent foes.
“At least Colby tried to fight,” Joaquin Buckley said. “Usman smothered me & Brady held on for dear life. In training I always get up because these guys are trying to advance position. If you’re just holding me, the ref should stand it up.”
Buckley, who holds a 21-8 professional record with 11 victories inside the UFC, believes referees ought to take a much firmer stance when grapplers secure top position without active ground-and-pound or submission attempts. Averaging 3.62 significant strikes landed per minute according to official UFC statistics, "New Mansa" relies on explosive momentum, but heavy wrestling control has repeatedly kept his power shots grounded.
Bouncing Back at UFC Edmonton
This recent skid has drawn plenty of chatter across the MMA world. Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker publicly questioned whether Buckley's confidence took a hit following those grueling wrestling battles. When world-class grapplers decide to prioritize position over action, fan favorites like Buckley find themselves trapped in frustrating, low-output grinds.
Despite the outside noise, Buckley gets an immediate chance to flip the script against Canadian contender Mike Malott at UFC Edmonton. Facing a dangerous finisher on foreign soil is no easy feat, but Buckley remains determined to prove his title dreams are alive and well. If he can defend the takedowns and let his hands fly, a big win in Edmonton will quickly silence critics and put him right back into the welterweight mix.
