In the main event of UFC Atlanta, Kamaru Usman delivered a dominant performance against Joaquin Buckley, securing a one-sided decision victory and reminding everyone he remains among the greatest welterweights ever.
Usman`s strategy revolved around his superior wrestling, taking Buckley down repeatedly in the early rounds and controlling him on the ground. He effectively `mauled` his opponent, opening a cut and landing strikes consistently from top position.
Although Buckley showed resilience and attempted a comeback in the final round, Usman had already built an insurmountable lead on the scorecards, earning his first victory in almost four years.
Reflecting on the win, Usman stated: “It feels good… It’s been a while, I needed to get that monkey off my back. I know I’m still able to do this at the highest level.” He acknowledged Buckley`s toughness, adding: “Sometimes when you’re going up against a young, hungry guy like that… you’ve got to pull out the skills and use the experience. That’s what I did tonight.”
Usman wasted no time establishing his grappling advantage, securing a well-timed takedown early in the first round. From there, he maintained control, landing strikes and looking to improve his position. A short elbow from Usman caused a cut on Buckley, who appeared trapped on the canvas.
In the second round, while initially open to striking, Usman again opted for a takedown against the cage, demonstrating complete dominance on the mat, leaving Buckley unable to escape or improve his situation.
Despite Usman`s control, Buckley managed to land a solid right hook when they were briefly standing, but Usman absorbed it and immediately responded. He secured another takedown, the third successfully landed, continuing his relentless ground pressure with punches and elbows until the end of the third round.
Aware he was significantly behind on the scorecards, Buckley became more aggressive in search of a finish. He landed a few impactful punches, but Usman withstood them and secured yet another takedown. Buckley spent the final two minutes of the round on his back again, enduring ground strikes with minimal opportunity to retaliate.
Usman`s dominant wrestling performance directly addressed recent criticism regarding the state of his knees and his ability to take opponents down. Post-fight, he delivered a blunt message to doubters, stating: “I know it’s a running joke… Everybody wants to get on the internet and talk sh*t. Oh his knees, his knees! Well shut the f*ck up, I can still do what I do.”
Only in the final five minutes was Buckley able to successfully defend Usman`s takedowns, prompting a reaction from the crowd. With the fight still standing, Usman maintained pressure while Buckley swung powerful shots, desperate for a knockout. Buckley had his best moments and likely won the round, but he couldn`t inflict enough damage to seriously threaten Usman.
Following the loss, Buckley expressed respect for his opponent, saying: “I’m beyond just honored to be in this octagon with somebody who’s known as one of the best… One of the GOATs to do it.” He reflected positively on the experience, adding: “For us to go five rounds, to put on an amazing fight, I’m just so happy. I’ve done come a long way… This ain’t going to be the end. We just getting started.”
This decisive victory immediately propels Usman back into contention in the 170-pound division, where he previously held the belt for over three years. His dominant showing serves as a clear message to the rest of the welterweight division: he is back and a threat to anyone.
Usman issued a direct challenge to the division, declaring: “I can do that to anybody… Any one of them. Those knockouts will come, I just needed this monkey off my back.” He concluded with a confident warning, stating: “The rest of the welterweight division, listen — I have been and always will be the f*cking boogeyman.”
