UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley didn`t mince words when discussing fellow contender Sean Brady.
Joaquin Buckley is set to face the most significant challenge of his mixed martial arts career next month at UFC Atlanta, where he will take on former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. This fight marks Usman’s return to the Octagon after a two-year hiatus, following his middleweight bout against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294.
Buckley has positioned himself near a welterweight title shot thanks to an impressive winning streak since transitioning full-time to the division. His recent victories include notable names like Stephen Thompson, Vicente Luque, and Nursulton Ruziboev.
However, according to Buckley, the opportunity to headline UFC Atlanta against Usman wasn`t originally meant for him.
Joaquin Buckley Takes Aim at Sean Brady Ahead of UFC Atlanta
The fight was reportedly first offered to Sean Brady, who previously defeated former title challenger Leon Edwards at UFC London. Brady had called out top welterweights, including Usman, after his win but ultimately declined the offer to face Usman in Atlanta.
While Buckley is grateful for the chance to fight Usman, he believes Brady made a significant error in judgment by passing up the opportunity to wait for a potential title shot.
In a recent interview with Parry Punch, Buckley strongly criticized Brady`s decision.
“[Usman] claimed he wanted the Sean Brady fight. Sean Brady skipped on him because he’s like: ‘I don’t need you now, I’m No. 1 contender.’ Brady’s stupid. If that’s true, Brady you dumb,” Buckley stated.
Buckley argued that fighting a name like Usman, a future UFC Hall of Famer, carries substantial weight and value, more so than Brady`s win over Edwards.
“The name you collected ain’t worth nothing. Leon [Edwards] ain’t worth nothing. Sean Brady’s stupid because Kamaru Usman, he is that guy. Kamaru Usman will be a Hall of Famer in the UFC, no doubt,” Buckley continued. “So the names do matter. The names do hold value. The names do hold weight. So Sean Brady fumbled, but his fumble is my blessing.”
As of this writing, Sean Brady has not publicly responded to Joaquin Buckley`s comments. With uncertainty surrounding Brady`s next fight and the welterweight title picture involving other contenders like Ian Machado Garry and the incoming Islam Makhachev, his timeline for a return remains unclear.
Ian Machado Garry vs. Sean Brady is a Potential Option for a Top Contender Fight
Given Brady`s public disagreement with Ian Machado Garry regarding Garry`s comments about the UFC 315 title picture, a matchup between the two high-ranked welterweights would make considerable sense. Garry recently returned to winning form against Carlos Prates after experiencing his first career loss in December.
The landscape of the UFC welterweight division is increasingly competitive, potentially including UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who is expected to move up. Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira are slated to compete for a vacant title at UFC 317. Buckley, Brady, and Garry are all making strong arguments for a title opportunity, alongside the sidelined Shavkat Rakhmonov. As the division`s current champion, Jack Della Maddalena, begins his reign, there is a wealth of contenders vying for the top spot.
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