In a fiery post-fight interview that has ignited the UFC welterweight division, Joaquin Buckley unleashed a verbal barrage on champion Belal Muhammad and top contenders like Shavkat Rakhmonov and Sean Brady, accusing them of turning the 170-pound class into a grappling showcase. "You got Islam out there playing Wrestleball," Buckley quipped, drawing a pointed comparison to lightweight king Islam Makhachev's dominant wrestling style, implying the welterweight elite prioritizes mat control over striking excitement. The remarks came after Buckley's stunning third-round knockout of Colby Covington at UFC 307, solidifying his status as a knockout artist hungry for gold.
Buckley's critique zeroed in on Muhammad's grinding approach that wore down Leon Edwards to claim the title earlier this year, labeling it "boring wrestleball" unfit for prime-time stardom. He didn't spare Rakhmonov, the undefeated Kazakh assassin, calling his style "more of the same sleep-inducing stuff," nor Brady, whose recent submission wins have propelled him up the ranks. "These guys are tough, but they're turning welterweight into a snoozefest," Buckley declared on LowKickMMA, positioning himself as the division's much-needed knockout savior with his viral spinning back kick finish against Colby.
The St. Louis native enters this verbal skirmish on a blistering five-fight win streak, all by stoppage, including stoppages over Colby Covington and former title challenger Vicente Luque. At 31, Buckley's explosive power and unorthodox striking have made him a fan favorite, amassing over a million social media impressions per highlight reel. His callouts signal confidence in transitioning from middleweight experiments back to welterweight dominance, where he believes his violence will expose the grapplers' vulnerabilities.
Welterweight has long balanced elite wrestling with striking firepower, from GSP's control to Wonderboy's karate wizardry, but recent champs like Usman and now Muhammad have leaned heavily on grappling. Makhachev's "wrestleball" moniker stems from his Dagestani wrestling clinic paired with opportunistic submissions, a blueprint echoed in the current welterweight top five. Buckley's shots highlight a brewing stylistic clash: can pure strikers like him dethrone the wrestlers, or will ground game prevail as it has in recent title fights?
Fan reactions flooded social media, with #Wrestleball trending and memes pitting Buckley's knockouts against Muhammad's decision marathons. UFC brass has yet to respond, but Buckley's momentum positions him for a top-five showdown, potentially against Brady or Colby in a rematch. As the division eyes UFC 312 in March, Buckley's bravado could force stylistic evolution or spark the next big rivalry, reminding everyone that welterweight's allure lies in its chaos.
