Welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley challenges Islam Makhachev's invincibility ahead of UFC 328

Ahead of UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey, welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley has publicly questioned the invincibility of current champion Islam Makhachev. Speaking at a media availability in Morristown, Buckley argued that the champion secured his title via one of the easiest fights possible against Jack Della Maddalena. He characterised the Australian fighter's performance as lacking quality, suggesting Della Maddalena did not prove much to anybody during the bout.

Buckley further reinforced his scepticism by pointing to Della Maddalena's subsequent breakdown against Carlos Prates. He noted that while Prates is ranked second in the division, his third-round TKO victory physically broke the former titleholder. Buckley claimed this sequence of events indicates that Della Maddalena was mentally broken during his first title defence, thereby undermining the legitimacy of Makhachev's reign.

Turning his focus to his upcoming main card bout against Sean Brady, Buckley stated he believes he can secure a knockout victory. He highlighted that despite two TKO losses in his career, Brady has never been knocked out and has never had to wake up to ask a doctor what happened. Buckley asserts that his own improved grappling skills will allow him to outperform the Philadelphia native and force a finish.

The 32-year-old from St. Louis has spent the last 11 months specifically addressing the deficiencies exposed by his decision loss to Kamaru Usman. During this period, he engaged in intensive training sessions with Usman and Vicente Luque at Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Buckley told CBS Sports that this dedicated work has significantly upgraded his wrestling, a skill set he believes will be decisive against opponents who rely on standing exchanges.

While dismissing the potential threat of Ian Machado Garry as a future challenger for Makhachev, Buckley argued that Garry's style does not match the champion's level. He contended that Garry's ability to win relies on foot exchanges, whereas Makhachev operates at a different tier regarding grappling. Buckley maintained that while Garry has the ability to win, he does not understand the levels required to compete with a wrestler of Makhachev's calibre.

Buckley, who has adopted the comedic persona of "Buckomedov" to reflect his improved wrestling game, acknowledged that Brady remains a formidable opponent if the fight goes to the ground. He warned that Brady possesses kimura locks capable of taking an arm back home with him. However, he remains confident that his enhanced grappling will allow him to control the pace and secure a victory over Brady on Saturday.