Joaquin Buckley does everything he can to fully focus on UFC 307 against Stephen Thompson. The two strikers meet at the pay-per-view feature prelims this Saturday. But a couple of old beefs are pulling him in several different directions. The animosity with the likes of Kevin Holland still exists. But one beef heโs putting to rest is Daniel Cormier.
This was perhaps shaping to be the most interesting fighter check-in, hashing the differences with Daniel โDCโ Cormier. This past UFC St. Louis event, Joaquin Buckley dominatedย Nursulton Ruziboev and entered a neat 4-0 streak. In the aftermath, he made a jaw-dropping callout to Conor McGregor before UFC 303. The No. 11 ranked welterweight had stuff to air regarding Cormier billing it the worst callout.
Post-fight panelists Daniel Cormier,ย Chael Sonnen, andย Michael Bispingย thought that a callout to a bigger name, McGregor, fell flat. Cormier, specifically, felt the irk when โNew Mansaโ labeled that their moms raised some โh*esโ for such a scathing snub instead of guidance.
His mother, Audrey, passed away in February 2022,ย something he is still sentimental about. Whether it was McGregorโs mom or Cormierโs mom, the UFC Hall of Famer was not tolerating any insult to mothers. Hence, Buckleyโs thoughts promoted a reply from him. This time, it was more cordially and with guidance.
Today I sit down with Joaquin Buckley as you know he and I had some issues about a call out few months ago. Today we sat down and discussed that and so much more. We also talked his fight this weekend vs Wonderboy! But as men we needed to talk and I believe we did that. Makeโฆ pic.twitter.com/pb85Xsv5vY
โ Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) October 2, 2024
Joaquin Buckley squashed his beef with Daniel Cormier before #UFC307 โ but not in the way he wanted.
“We was in front of the camera. I thought we were just going be in a room by ourselves for a bit and just be able to talk like men.” pic.twitter.com/eISXND5fDH
โ MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) October 2, 2024
Later, during the UFC 307 pre-fight presser interviews, Buckley talked about the matter at hand. โNew Mansaโ wishedย the conversation would happen off-camera. But he came to an understanding with โDCโ nonetheless, squashing the rift. Daniel Cormier has been through his share of trials and tribulations; hence the irk. Itโs good that this arc is over cause Karate Kid โWonderboyโ is up next.
Stephen Thompson anticipates Joaquin Buckley wrestling match at UFC 307
Saturdayโs UFC 307 featured prelim at Delta Center might see a strikerโs delight at last. After the Sean StricklandโPaulo Costa fiasco of stomping and shelling for 4 rounds, morale is low. Ian Garry vs. Michael Page also took to the ground early. So itโs up to Karate man Stephen โWonderboyโ Thompson and Joaquin Buckley. However, Thompson is harboring doubts: No one wants to strike with him anymore!
Buckley has several devastating knockouts โ including a spinning back-kick KO of Impa Kasanganay. However, Stephen Thompson told media scrum during Wednesdayโs UFC 307 media day that heโs noticing different! Subsequently, it might go ground-heavy. He has even shown some proper ground defenses against Vicente Luque when they fought and defeated him from the mount.
Buckley snagged four takedowns in his unanimous decision win over Nursulton Ruziboev in May. Ruziboev is a limb-heavy kickboxer out of Team Renzo Gracie Philly, yet he found himself at floor level. Thompson believes heโll try to do the same with him.
Thompson has struggled against the likes of Gilbert Burns and current welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. Both have used a heavy grappling approach on Thompson. โWonderboyโ has only won one fight in his career by submission, but heโs hoping to surprise Buckley.