It’s go big or go home for UFC’s Kamaru Usman.
A top-2 welterweight of all time, the previous UFC Champion is gearing up for his return to the Octagon following the longest layoff and the worst losing skid of his profession.
Kamaru Usman hasn’t been within the win column in nearly 4 years, having his welterweight title and pound-for-pound #1 status taken away by longtime rival Leon Edwards by headkick KO in 2022.
What followed for Usman were back-to-back decision defeats in his title rematch with Edwards and his middleweight debut against Khamzat Chimaev, which got here on 9 days notice at UFC 294 in 2023.
Probably the most lively champions in recent memory, we haven’t seen Usman compete since, along with his long-awaited return finally confirmed for this summer.
Joaquin Buckley to welcome back Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta
Usman, who turns 38 in May, is slated to go five rounds in his first fight in 18 months.
His opponent? #6 UFC Welterweight Joaquin Buckley, who’s been on an absolute tear since moving down from the middleweight division.
On Friday, UFC CEO Dana White announced on his Instagram Live that Usman vs. Buckley would serve because the fundamental event of a UFC Fight Night event in Atlanta, Georgia on June 14th.
UFC Atlanta will happen from the State Farm Arena, co-headlined by a flyweight matchup between former two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas and Miranda Maverick.
The 30-year-old Buckley is one in every of the newer contenders to emerge at 170lbs alongside Shavkat Rakhmonov, Ian Machado Garry and Jack Della Maddalena.
Buckley’s 6-0 within the welterweight division, taking out several perennial contenders reminiscent of Vicente Luque, Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson and most recently Colby Covington, arguably Usman’s biggest rival.
Explosive as they arrive, Buckley proved how dangerous he was last October by becoming the second man in UFC history to knock out Thompson, one in every of the UFC’s all-time best strikers.
Buckley also has one in every of MMA’s best knockouts, landing a spinning back kick in mid-air to sleep Impa Kasanganay after he caught his initial kick.
Joaquin Buckley’s epic call-out of Kamaru Usman
Kamaru Usman was one in every of three names Joaquin Buckley asked for following his impressive doctor stoppage TKO of Covington in December.
After bloodying the previous interim champion, Buckley got on the microphone and let the fans determine who they desired to see him fight next.
“I’m gonna give y’all three names, the one you make essentially the most noise for, that’s who I’m gonna pick for my next opponent,” Buckley said in his post-fight interview at UFC Tampa.
Buckley called out Edwards, Usman in addition to the present champion Belal Muhammad, who got the least reception.
Between Edwards and Usman, the group had a louder pop for ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ with the UFC brass ultimately moving forward on that front. That’s one strategy to get yourself a fight.
A win here could potentially land either fighter a title opportunity against Belal Muhammad.
