As Joaquin Buckley prepares for his highly anticipated bout with Stephen Thompson at UFC 307, there’s another aspect to his fight week that is grabbing attention: his possible feud with Daniel Cormier. Buckley’s recent comments about Cormier reflect respect, disappointment and strained expectations. While Buckley has praised Cormier’s storied MMA career and accomplishments, he has also been vocal about his dissatisfaction with Cormier’s past criticism. With UFC 307 coming up, the possibility of Buckley crossing paths with the Hall of Famer adds an extra layer of excitement to his upcoming fight and the overall story.
A Controversial Call and a Public Debate
In May, Buckley won a unanimous decision victory over Nursultan Ruziboev in St. Petersburg. Celebration of the Louis. But his post-fight call out of UFC superstar Conor McGregor caused controversy. Many, including Cormier, criticized Buckley’s decision to use his microphone time to call out McGregor instead of addressing the contenders in the welterweight division This led to a tense exchange between Buckley and Cormier, with Buckley made derogatory remarks about Cormier’s mother passing away in 2022.
Cormier responded with emotion and criticism, fueling the debate. Despite the constant trouble, Buckley is looking forward to crossing paths with Cormier at UFC 307, where Cormier is expected to be part of the broadcast team.
Respect and Hope for Buckley
Buckley, 30, expresses a mixture of respect and disappointment for Cormier. “I’m praying to the MMA gods that I run in DC,” Buckley told MMA Fighting. “I’m a fan of Daniel Cormier and admire his MMA career. He likes Cormier’s progress, including his dominance in Strikeforce and his UFC championship season simultaneously.
But Buckley’s main complaint was how Cormier chose to criticize his call rather than acknowledge his performance. Buckley, who has four consecutive wins in the welterweight division, felt Cormier’s criticism was more about diminishing him than constructive words: “Someone like him has such a big voice and a big platform,” Buckley said . . . . “Any negative things he puts out there have a big impact.”
Let’s wait for UFC 307 and Beyond
As fight week approaches, Buckley and other fighters will have a chance to meet with the broadcast team. These meetings often lead to insightful discussions, and Buckley hopes to have a good one with Cormier. Despite those past issues, Buckley insists he holds no personal grudges.
“If DC wants to make it that way, which I highly doubt, but at the end of the day we can always hash out this thing by coming in as fighters.” Buckley said he’s not looking to start any problems but stressed he’s open to correcting misunderstandings if they arise.
Buckley’s Attention to the Battle
Buckley is focused on his upcoming fight against Stephen Thompson, and recognizes the importance of fighting in his career development. His priority is to continue his path to UFC gold, and he doesn’t intend to be distracted by past fights.
“There’s no beef on my end,” Buckley insists. “I also like breaking balls. My thing is we’re all just having fun, we’re all just saying stuff. But if there is a story or misunderstanding, we can actually see these things.” As UFC 307 approaches, Buckley hopes to turn any past negativity into a positive future in his career and interactions with fellow fighters like Cormier.
