UFC news reaction: Holloway moves to 155, Machado Garry vs. Buckley, de Randamie retires, more

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel reacts to Max Holloway moving back to 155, Ian Machado Garry vs. Joaquin Buckley booking, and more.

Last week’s MMA news cycle left plenty to digest.

From [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag]’s announcement of moving back up to lightweight, to the welterweight booking between [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag], and the retirement of former UFC women’s featherweight champion [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag], a lot went down. Additionally, the UFC revealed the details for the new, upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

All this news left many questions: Is Holloway making the right call by leaving featherweight? What’s at stake in the Garry Machado vs. Buckley matchup in Tampa, Fla.? What kind of legacy does de Randamie leave behind?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King, Danny Segura and host Gorgeous “George” discuss and react to the latest news in the world of MMA.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

https://youtube.com/live/G_MvMlbjAX0

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Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: Brandon Moreno’s return, Belal Muhammad out of UFC 310, Max Holloway’s move

On “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses Brandon Moreno’s return, Belal Muhammad’s UFC 310 withdrawal and much more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • UFC Fight Night 246 went down Saturday in Canada and left us with two key results at men’s and women’s flyweight. In the main event, former champion [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] successfully returned to action after taking a break from the sport by dominating [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] in a unanimous decision win. Also, [autotag]Erin Blanchfield[/autotag] outpointed [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] in a hard-fought decision to cement herself as a top title contender. What happens next? We discuss.
  • Bad news. UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] suffered a foot injury and was forced out of his title bout against [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag] in the main event of UFC 310. This leaves a big hole to fill since the bout was scheduled to headline the final pay-per-view of the year. Should the UFC implement an interim title? If so, who should fight for it? We react to Muhammad’s injury and how it impacts both UFC 310 and the welterweight division.  
  • A lot of news went down this past week, including fight bookings and retirements. Former UFC champion [autotag]Germaine de Randamie[/autotag] announced her retirement from the sport; the UFC booked a key welterweight bout between [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] and [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] for December; and featherweight all-time great [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] revealed he is moving back up to lightweight. We analyze those headlines and more.
  • We close out the show by previewing Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 247 event in Las Vegas. We break down the welterweight bout between [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] and rising contender [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag] headlining the card, along with other standout bouts.

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Ian Machado Garry vs. Joaquin Buckley to headline UFC on ESPN 63 in Tampa

A showdown of top-10 welterweights will close out 2024 in the UFC.

A showdown of top-10 welterweights will close out 2024 in the UFC when [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] takes on [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag].

The fight is set to headline the promotion’s final event of the year, UFC on ESPN 63, on Dec. 14 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla., the UFC announced Friday on social media.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DB18bxuzzkz

Machado Garry (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC), No. 7 in the official UFC rankings at 170 pounds, will look for his third win of 2024 as he tries to maintain his perfect record. In 2024, Machado Garry has beaten Geoff Neal by split decision at UFC 298 and Michael Page by unanimous decision at UFC 303.

Buckley (20-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who’s ranked No. 9, will try for his fourth victory of 2024 as he looks to continue climbing the ranks of the division since he moved back down from welterweight in May 2023. Buckley’s wins in 2024 include two longtime staples of the division, Vicente Luque by TKO and most recently a knockout of Stephen Thompson.

With the addition, here’s the current UFC on ESPN 63 lineup:

  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Joaquin Buckley
  • Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas
  • Dustin Jacoby vs. Vitor Petrino
  • Tracy Cortez vs. Miranda Maverick
  • Josefine Knutsson vs. Piera Rodriguez
  • Navajo Stirling vs. Tuco Tokkos
  • Davey Grant vs. Ramon Taveras
  • Manel Kape vs. Bruno Silva
  • Ottman Azaitar vs. Michael Johnson
  • Daniel Marcos vs. Adrian Yanez

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

Joaquin Buckley makes case to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 over Ian Machado Garry: ‘People want to see knockouts’

With champ Belal Muhammad injured, Joaquin Buckley makes his case to fill in vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov over Ian Machado Garry.

[autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] has never been one to hold his tongue, and he’s making sure his name is in the mix as a potential opponent for Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310.

Originally, UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad was to face the undefeated Rakhmonov (18-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) in the main event on Dec. 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. However, a toe injury has forced Muhammad out of the pay-per-view date.

While the promotion has not yet announced a plan to replace the fight, rumors have begun flying, including the thought that an interim title could be created.

Ian Machado Garry has been a popular name in discussion, but Buckley (20-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) believes he has a solid case to be inserted into the potential fight at UFC 310.

“Hey look, I’ma let you finish, but I got something to say,” Buckley started on an Instagram video, cutting in on a post-fight news conference video of Machado Garry talking about facing Rakhmonov. “Nobody want to see that fight. People want to see knockouts. People want to see finishes, and that’s exactly what we finna bring.

“Me vs. Shavkat. He got 18 finishes, 10 subs, eight knockouts. And your boy, I got 14 knockouts, and I just knocked out my last two ranked opponents. So what you think I’m finna to do to this dude?”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBzWFHDS1C7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Buckley is currently running hot on a five-fight winning streak, undefeated since moving to welterweight last May. Machado Garry (15-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) is undefeated in his entire pro career, although he has fewer knockout victories than Buckley.

“Hey UFC, this is the fight that y’all got to make,” Buckley said. “Like I told y’all, I’m coming to take the throne, and I ain’t playing.”

In his last outing at UFC 307, “New Mansa” knocked out former title challenger Stephen Thompson in the third round. During his post-fight interview, he called out former champion Kamaru Usman.

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Joaquin Buckley responds to Kamaru Usman’s line-cutting attempt: ‘Sh*t shouldn’t be given to you’

Joaquin Buckley thinks Kamaru Usman should have to work his way back up to the title picture.

[autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] should have to work his way back up to the title picture.

Buckley (21-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) called out Usman after knocking out former title challenger Stephen Thompson less than two weeks ago at UFC 307. Buckley was dismissed by Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC), who told him to get in line.

Usman was trading barbs with welterweight champion Belal Muhammad, but with the former champion being on a three-fight losing skid, Buckley says fighting him in a No. 1 contender bout makes sense.

“That’s the funny thing: Who’s in line?” Buckley said in an interview with Parry Punch. “The crazy part about Belal was, like, Usman doesn’t even deserve a title shot. Plus, he said Shavkat is an easier fight than Usman, and that’s what I believe that the UFC is going to make, the Shavkat vs. Belal. Usman, nobody calls him out, that’s still a great name. The last fight he had was with Khamzat (Chimaev), so it’s been a whole year. Come and get this work. Come and get paid at least.”

Muhammad did end up getting booked against Shavkat Rakhmonov for his first title defense, which headlines UFC 310 on Dec. 7 in Las Vegas. Buckley thinks Usman needs at least one win before fighting for the title again.

“He’s just waiting on the opportunity to have that big fight, which is fighting for a title. But my thing is, that sh*t shouldn’t be given to you,” Buckley said. “You should work for that.

“Just because you’ve been a former champion, just because you held the belt for a good amount of time, doesn’t give you the right to come back and just be like, ‘Aight, I get to fight for the belt again.’ You’re still not accounting those three losses you done had. So prove to the world that you still have the ability to fight for a belt.”

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Kamaru Usman responds to Joaquin Buckley’s callout: ‘Take a number and get in line’

Former UFC champion Kamaru Usman has brushed off Joaquin Buckley’s callout.

Former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] has brushed off [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]’s callout.

Buckley (21-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) issued a challenge to Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) after scoring a third-round knockout of former title challenger Stephen Thompson on Saturday at UFC 307. Buckley is now 5-0 at welterweight in the UFC and was praised by Daniel Cormier for his callout. Usman dismissed Buckley but didn’t imply that he wouldn’t fight him if offered.

“Take a number and get in line,” Usman said on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Henry Cejudo. “I believe he’s probably, what, the 10th, 11th guy? I don’t know how many guys have called me out. It is what it is. It’s obviously, like DC said, it’s a more reasonable callout for him because he is on the streak. He’s been doing good work inside there. I believe he was losing that fight, and it was just a way to be relentless and find the shot eventually to get that finish. So, you know, hats off to him.

“He did a great job. If that’s the fight, then that’s the fight. If it’s not, it’s not. Obviously right now I’m working on myself and trying to get myself back, because I’ve fought injured for so long to where I achieved all the things I’ve achieved, but at some point it does catch up to you. You have to sit down and correct some of those mistakes. But, like I said, I ain’t going nowhere. I’m still here, and eventually I will get in there and show the people that I am once again the king.”

Usman, 37, hasn’t competed since a majority decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight in October 2023. The short-notice setback to Chimaev was his third straight after suffering back-to-back title losses to Leon Edwards.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

Joaquin Buckley doubles down on Kamaru Usman callout after UFC 307: ‘I can knock out Usman immediately’

UFC 307 winner Joaquin Buckley thinks he can break the record for fastest knockout in history against former champ Kamaru Usman.

SALT LAKE CITY – [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] thinks his UFC 307 finish of Stephen Thompson earned him a big fight in the welterweight division, and he’s putting a target on Kamaru Usman’s head.

Buckley (21-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) extended his perfect run since dropped to 170 pounds Saturday when he scored a third-round knockout of former title challenger Thompson at Delta Center. After the fight, he took the microphone and called out Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC).

“(I’m) 5-0 in the welterweight division right now,” Buckley told reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight at UFC 307. “Me putting on a tear, I feel like at the end of the day Usman being a former champion will kind of prove and cement my name that I should fight for a title next.”

Usman is currently on a three-fight losing skid and hasn’t competed since a majority decision loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 294 in October 2022. The former titleholder has publicly entertained a variety of matchups in recent months, and also seemed to acknowledge Buckley mentioning his name with some emojis on X.

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For Buckley, 30, he thinks it’s a matchup that will show the world exactly what he’s about in the form of a highlight-reel moment.

“I think I can knock out Usman,” Buckley said. “Immediately – yeah, immediately. Breaking records.”

As Buckley looks to continue his surge to the top of the division, he points to his performance against “Wonderboy” as a confidence-building moment. It was a competitive fight with 19-19, 18-20 and 20-18 scorecards going into the final round.

Buckley took it out of the hands of the judges, though, and he said that was the product of a well-round attack.

“I knew I just had to mix it up the whole time,” Buckley said. “You can’t just go out there and be one-dimensional, whether that’s just wrestling or striking with ‘Wonderboy.’ You’ve got to mix it up, especially if you’re trying to get him out of there.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

UFC 307 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Program cracks $29 million total paid since Venum deal

The UFC has now paid more than $29 million to its athletes under the Promotional Guidelines Compliance program following UFC 307.

SALT LAKE CITY – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 307 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $407,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 307 took place at Delta Center in Utah. The main card aired on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The full UFC 307 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Khalil Rountree[/autotag]: $32,000

[autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag]: $32,000
def. [autotag]Raquel Pennington[/autotag]: $42,000

[autotag]Mario Bautista[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Kevin Holland[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ketlen Vieira[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Iasmin Lucindo[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]: $11,000

[autotag]Alexander Hernandez[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Austin Hubbard[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Cesar Almeida[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Ihor Potieria[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Ryan Spann[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Ovince Saint Preux[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Tecia Pennington[/autotag]: $16,000
def. [autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Court McGee[/autotag]: $21,000
def. [autotag]Tim Means[/autotag]: $21,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $6,302,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $29,039,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

UFC 307 results: Joaquin Buckley’s leaping punch knocks out Stephen Thompson

Check out this big knockout by Joaquin Buckley at UFC 307!

All appeared to be going splendid for [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] until he ended up face first on the canvas midway through Round 3 of his UFC 307 bout.

The party responsible for the violent jumping knockout was [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag] (19-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC), who crumpled “Wonderboy” Thompson (17-7-1 MMA, 12-7-1 UFC) with a jumping right hook that ended the fight at 2:17 of Round 3.

The welterweight bout closed out the UFC 307 preliminary card at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Buckley was the aggressor for much of the three-round bout, as Thompson played role of matador to his bull. Thompson counter strikes landed on Buckley on a few occasions, but that didn’t deter the pressure put forth.

Thompson fended off many of Buckley’s takedown attempts and made it seemingly impossible to be controlled for any significant period of time.

Right after a big head kick landed for Thompson in the opening two minutes of the third round, Buckley finally found a home for the big shot. He jumped in the air and landed a big right hook that sent Thompson on all fours.

After the win, which was Buckley’s fourth in a row, he called out former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. Buckley defeated Andre Fialho, Alex Morono, and Nursulton Ruziboev in succession prior to Saturday’s fight.

Thompson, 41, has now lost back-to-back fights and four of his most recent five.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 307 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.

Joaquin Buckley def. Stephen Thompson at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City: Best photos

Check out the best photos from Joaquin Buckley’s third-round knockout win over Stephen Thompson at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City.

Check out the best photos from [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]’s third-round knockout win over [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] at UFC 307 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. (Fight and venue photos by Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA Today Sports)