Former UFC champion Kamaru Usman made a triumphant return to the octagon by beating Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlanta, giving him his first win since 2021.
With the long awaited win, Usman ended a three-fight losing streak and moved 21-4 overall. With the loss, Buckley’s record drops to 21-7.
After capturing the welterweight victory, Usman expressed relief.
“It’s been a while. I needed to get that monkey off my back. I know I’m still able to do this at the highest level…”
Usman also ended Buckley’s six fight winning streak, something the latter made no excuses about.
“Every round he took me down, kept me there,” said Buckley.
For four rounds, “The Nigerian Nightmare” dominated the fight, and his decision to wrestle was the right one for Buckley couldn’t find his rhythm outside of a few solid strikes in the fifth and final round.
“That night, it really showed it’s levels to this game.”
Usman proved that he’s still a force in the division, and if he gets back on a winning streak, he will once again be recognized as one of the best in the business.
