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Joaquin Buckley Hopes for Friendly Encounter With DC at UFC 307: ‘I’m a Fan of Daniel Cormier’
After their heated exchange, Joaquin Buckley wants to mend fences with Daniel Cormier at UFC 307. Will they finally settle their differences? Find out!
At UFC 307, all eyes won’t just be on the fighters in the octagon. Will Joaquin Buckley and Daniel Cormier patch things up? Buckley’s post-fight callout stirred the pot several months back, and Cormier didn’t hold back. He criticized Buckley’s choice of words, especially mentioning his late mother.
As Buckley steps into Salt Lake City, he’s not just fighting another bout; he’s hoping to clear the air. “I’m a fan of Daniel Cormier,” Buckley admitted, reflecting on Cormier's storied career. Can this event turn a heated exchange into a moment of mutual respect?
Joaquin Buckley's beef with Daniel Cormier started in May after Buckley's unanimous decision win over Nursulton Ruziboev in St. Louis. In front of his hometown crowd, Buckley delivered an impressive performance with much momentum behind him. However, during his post-fight interview, Buckley aimed high instead of calling out a higher-ranked opponent in the welterweight division and called out Conor McGregor, one of the UFC's biggest stars.
This decision didn’t sit well with many in the MMA community, including Daniel Cormier. Almost immediately, Cormier criticized Buckley’s callout, calling it a waste of microphone time. He pointed out that McGregor was already booked to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 and that Buckley’s callout was unrealistic. UFC CEO Dana White quickly shut down Buckley's request at the post-fight press conference, further fueling the backlash.
Feeling the heat from Cormier and other commentators, Buckley decided to fight back on social media. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his frustration, targeting Cormier, Michael Bisping, and Chael Sonnen with a harsh message: "Ya mommas raised some hoes." This crude comment hit a nerve, especially with Cormier, whose mother, Audrey, passed away in 2022.
Cormier did not hold back in his response. He unleashed an expletive-filled tirade, telling Buckley, "Shut up p*ssy!" He continued, "Maybe listen. You had a dumb a** callout. You’re getting talked about by three of the biggest voices in the game. Maybe listen. It was the worst callout in history. Don’t let winning a few fights at 170 pounds get you too excited, bruh. Don’t mention Audrey!"
Months have passed since this heated exchange, and Buckley is now reflecting on what happened. As UFC 307 approaches, he’s looking forward to possibly meeting Cormier in person. Surprisingly, Buckley holds no grudge and instead wants to clear the air. "I’ve been praying to the MMA gods that I run into DC," Buckley said in an interview with MMA Fighting. "I’m a fan of Daniel Cormier and all the things that he’s done in his MMA career."
Check Out: Daniel Cormier Elaborates on Why Magomed Ankalaev Will Be a Tough Match-Up for Alex Pereira
Buckley respects Cormier's achievements, from his days in Strikeforce to becoming a two-division champion in the UFC. He believes Cormier could have been more supportive instead of criticizing him. "I feel like DC could have helped me with trying to go where I’m trying to go instead of trying to diminish me or break me down," Buckley explained.
Despite their differences, Buckley hopes for a positive encounter with Cormier in Salt Lake City. He’s not looking for a fight but rather a conversation. "I would love to see DC, but it’s not on some personal level like, 'As soon as I see DC, I’m fitting to swing on him.’ No, because I ain’t about that," Buckley clarified. He added that if there’s any tension, they could always "get this work in as martial artists and hash it out."
In the end, Buckley just wants to move forward and possibly turn a negative experience into a constructive one. "Ain’t no beef on my end," he said. "We’re all just having fun, we’re all just talking stuff. But we can really figure this stuff out if there’s an issue or a misunderstanding." As UFC 307 draws near, it remains to be seen if Buckley and Cormier will have the chance to make amends.
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