Kamaru Usman reminded the whole world that he’s still one of the greatest welterweights of all time after he put on a vintage performance to shut down Joaquin Buckley and win a one-sided decision in the UFC Atlanta main event.
It was a display of wrestling and ground dominance after Usman took Buckley down in each of the first round rounds and absolutely mauled him on the canvas. Usman opened up a cut early and continued to hammer away at Buckley every time he dragged him down.
While Buckley made a valiant comeback attempt in the fifth round, Usman was already too far ahead to catch up and he secured the victory — his first in nearly four years.
“It feels good,” Usman said about the win. “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. Sometimes when you’re going up against a young, hungry guy like that, very talented, very aggressive, you’ve got to pull out the skills and use the experience. That’s what I did tonight.
“I expected him to be really, really tough, which he was. I know what it takes to work and get up in here. Thank you to him for bringing everything that he brought.”
It didn’t take long for Usman to close the distance and immediately snatch a well-timed takedown to put Buckley on his back. Usman put on a workmanlike performance for the remainder of the opening round as he peppered away at Buckley with punches while looking to advance his position.
A short elbow from Usman also sliced open Buckley, who just looked stuck on the bottom with no chance to scramble or escape.
While Usman seemed more willing to exchange with Buckley in the second, he eventually set up another takedown against the cage. Usman was utterly dominant on the ground and Buckley was almost lost, just holding on and hoping for a standup from the referee.
Buckley finally connected with a solid right hook once he got back on his feet, but Usman ate the shot and came right back at him. A second later, Usman was deep on a single leg takedown and he dragged Buckley to the canvas for the third time in as many attempts.
Usman was relentless with his pressure as he continued hammering away with punches and elbows until the horn sounded to end the third.
Knowing that he was down big on the scorecards, Buckley had to get more reckless and he managed to connect with a couple of his best punches, but Usman absorbed the damage well before exploding forward for yet another takedown. Buckley then spent the final two minutes with Usman back on top of him blasting away with punches with almost no fear of reprisal.
The wrestling display from Usman also earned a fiery response from the former champion after he heard non-stop criticism during his recent layoff that his knees were shot and he could no longer take anybody down.
“I know it’s a running joke,” Usman said. “Everybody wants to get on the internet and talk shit. Oh his knees, his knees! Well shut the f*ck up, I can still do what I do.”
It wasn’t until five minutes remained that Buckley was finally able to stuff Usman’s takedowns, which brought the crowd to its feet. Usman continued to pressure forward and Buckley swung with huge power behind every punch just trying to get the knockout.
Buckley definitely had his moments and won the round, but he couldn’t do enough damage to actually hurt or put Usman away.
“I’m beyond just honored to be in this octagon with somebody who’s known as one of the best,” Buckley said after the loss. “One of the GOATs to do it. For us to go five rounds, to put on an amazing fight, I’m just so happy. I’ve done come a long way and you all see me here. This ain’t going to be the end. We just getting started.”
The win immediately vaults Usman back into the title picture at 170 pounds where he reigned as champion for over three years. His performance on Saturday definitely served notice to the division that he’s back and ready for anybody the UFC throws at him.
“I can do that to anybody,” Usman said. “Any one of them. Those knockouts will come, I just needed this monkey off my back. The rest of the welterweight division, listen — I have been and always will be the f*cking boogeyman.”
