Makhachev Will Do Well at Welterweight, Says Buckley
Inside Fighting got a chance to speak to No. 7-ranked UFC welterweight Joaquin Buckley. When asked how he expects Islam Makhachev to fare at 170 pounds, Buckley admitted he sees the UFC lightweight title defense recordholder having success (h/t MMAJunkie).
“I think compared to some of the welterweight fighters, he matches up very well,” Buckley told Inside Fighting. “With his strong grappling, with his strong submission game, being able to be somewhat confident on the feet, he’s going to give a lot of guys a lot of issues. That being said, I think he’ll do just fine at welterweight.”
No date has been set for Makhachev’s fight against Jack Della Maddalena. It hasn’t been a full month since Maddalena captured UFC gold, so fans may not be getting an announcement for a while. There’s also the fact that Makhachev will need to get his body acclimated to compete at 170 pounds.
As for Buckley, he’s scheduled to clash with former UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. The bout will headline UFC Atlanta on June 14.
