Kamaru Usman Brushes Off Buckley’s Ambitious Call: “Get in Line!”

Kamaru Usman, the former UFC welterweight champion, has praised Joaquin Buckley’s performance at UFC 307 but made it clear that he has no current plans to entertain a fight with the surging contender. Buckley shocked the MMA world at UFC 307 by delivering an unexpected knockout of Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, becoming only the second man to achieve this feat. Throughout the fight, Buckley persistently attempted to take Thompson down, but the veteran striker repeatedly found ways to get back to his feet.

After his impressive win, Buckley wasted no time in calling out Usman, boldly claiming that he could knock him out in a potential matchup. However, Usman has responded with amusement and a dismissive tone, stating:

“Get in line and wait your turn.”

Buckley’s Rising Momentum and Ambition for Usman

In his post-fight interview, Buckley expressed confidence that a showdown with Usman would solidify his legitimacy as a title contender. Riding a five-fight winning streak in the welterweight division, Buckley is quickly climbing the ranks and aims to solidify his place among the division’s elite.

Usman acknowledged Buckley’s achievement and admitted that defeating a fighter of Thompson’s caliber was a significant accomplishment. During a recent episode of his podcast, “Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry,” Usman agreed with UFC commentator Daniel Cormier that Buckley presents a more reasonable challenge than some of the contenders Usman has faced in the past. However, despite the recognition, Usman emphasized that Buckley needs more decisive victories to earn a legitimate shot at him or the division’s top fighters.

Interestingly, Buckley’s knockout blow mirrored the one Anthony Pettis used to finish Thompson five years ago. While the scorecards suggested that the third round would determine the fight’s winner, Buckley’s powerful overhand right sealed his victory in a dramatic fashion.

Usman’s Calm Response to the Growing List of Challengers

Despite Buckley’s call-out, Usman remains unbothered by the growing list of welterweights eager to face him. When asked about Buckley’s challenge on his podcast, Usman laughed off the idea and noted that Buckley is just one of many fighters in the division who have recently called him out.

“I think he’s, what, the 10th or 11th guy? I don’t know how many have challenged me,” Usman commented. “That’s just how it goes. As DC said, it’s a more reasonable challenge for him because he’s on a win streak. He’s done well in there. I think he was losing that fight, but he was relentless and eventually found the shot to finish. So, credit to him for that.”

Buckley’s impressive performance has certainly caught Usman’s eye, but it seems unlikely that the former champion will entertain a fight with him in the near future. For now, Buckley will need to keep racking up victories and proving himself as a top contender in the UFC’s stacked welterweight division before Usman considers him a worthy opponent.

Source: MMAnytt.se

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