Joaquin Buckley would like to see some movement in the welterweight division.
Over the past year, the 170-pound division has been one of the hottest in the UFC, with the title changing hands twice in 2025, and a line of possible title contenders building up. But since Islam Makhachev won the title in November, there hasn’t been much movement, with none of the current Top 10 even booked for a fight. And No. 9-ranked Joaquin Buckley is getting a little frustrated.
“Right now, the division’s on standstill.
It’s crazy!” Buckley said on Instagram. “Look, look, look. The matchmakers know their job. They know better than me what they’re doing, but right now, they’ve got the hottest division and ain’t nobody fighting.
“You got Islam out there playing Wrestleball. You got [Carlos] Prates out there partying and clubbing. You got [Michael] Morales out there twerking and twirling. You got [Jack Della Maddalena] still at the house, crying. You got Leon [Edwards] missing again. You got Belal [Muhammad] trying to sell WR Meals. You got Ian Garry watching in the corner. Boy, I don’t know what’s going on! What’s going on with the welterweight division?! We’ve got to get things active!
“I’m ready to see what we’re capable of doing in 2026, because right now, we’re all wasting time. Every single person in the welterweight division. Oh yeah, and Shavkat’s gone. Shavkat’s knocked out the rankings.”
“The 170 division is the hottest division in the sport… and somehow it’s at a standstill.
“Everybody got motion, but nobody moving.
“Meanwhile, the belt ain’t moving. The rankings ain’t clearing up except for getting rid of Shavkat, and now the fans stuck waiting.
“The truth is? The division don’t have a talent problem…it has a decision problem.”
As for Buckley, he’s been out of action since losing a unanimous decision to Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta in June. That loss snapped a six-fight winning streak since “New Mansa” returned to 170 pounds, and he’s hoping to get a big fight soon so he can get back in the mix; preferably against the man who lost to Makhachev at UFC 322.
“If I could get anybody active, I’d say JDM,” Buckley said. “Me and JDM would be good money. It ain’t because of where he’s placed on [the rankings], No. 1, but I think just stylistically, we’re just fireworks. And I’m sure because of what we both went through, getting held down for damn near five rounds — well, me four rounds, him five rounds — and him almost crying in the middle of the octagon, I think we’d be good work. And we’d be satisfied with the work that we put on once we fight each other. So, that’s what I’m looking at. Me and JDM. Me and Jack Della Maddalena.”
