Kamaru Usman, former UFC welterweight champion, returned triumphantly at UFC Atlanta on June 14, 2025, defeating Joaquin Buckley by unanimous decision at State Farm Arena. The event, aired on ESPN and ESPN+, marked Usman’s first fight in 20 months, ending a three-fight losing streak.
Usman’s wrestling dominance earned him a shot at the welterweight title, currently held by Jack Della Maddalena, who faces Islam Makhachev later in 2025. Usman expressed confidence in challenging the winner, emphasizing his status as the division’s biggest name.
Usman’s Resounding Return
Usman controlled Buckley with takedowns, totaling nearly 13 minutes of ground control.
“I know it’s been a while,” he said, reflecting on his layoff. “And after the last one [against Khamzat Chimaev], going up against a young, strong, hungry guy, one of the most dangerous and terrifying guys — I was dealing with some things going into that one, but I took the fight with short notice. And because of that fight, it’s almost like they forgot I could f***ing wrestle, and they got dismissive and borderline disrespectful. So I just had to pull out the skill and let them know, ‘Hey, respect every aspect of my game.’”
The judges scored the bout 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47, reflecting Usman’s dominance over the surging contender.
Congrats to my brother @USMAN84kg for his amazing victory last night. It’s inspiring to see him do that after all he’s been through lately.
Congrats to @Newmansa94 on his impressive performance. That round 5! 🔥😱 pic.twitter.com/9BPh1uBg0h
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) June 15, 2025
Kamaru Usman’s MMA Journey
Born in Auchi, Nigeria, on May 11, 1987, and raised in Texas, Usman began wrestling in high school, earning All-American honors at the University of Nebraska. He started MMA in 2012 and joined the UFC in 2015 after winning The Ultimate Fighter 21. Usman claimed the welterweight title in 2019 against Tyron Woodley at UFC 235, defending it five times against Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, and Gilbert Burns.
His 15-fight UFC win streak ended in 2022 when Leon Edwards knocked him out at UFC 278. Usman lost a trilogy bout to Edwards in 2023 and a short-notice middleweight fight to Khamzat Chimaev in October 2023. Now 38, his record is 21-4.
Buckley, from St. Louis, Missouri, joined the UFC in 2020 with a 21-7 record. After a 1-2 middleweight stint, he moved to welterweight in 2023, going 6-1 with knockouts over Vicente Luque, Stephen Thompson, and Colby Covington in 2024. His TKO win over Covington at UFC Tampa in December 2024 earned him the Usman fight.
At 31, Buckley aimed to cement his contender status but couldn’t counter Usman’s grappling, ending his six-fight win streak.
Usman’s Title Shot Ambitions
Usman called for a title fight against the winner of Della Maddalena versus Makhachev.
“I only had to really use one skill tonight, and everyone knows I can knock you out with my hands,” he said. “But if you’re going to give me that [takedown], I’m going to take it. So let’s be honest — I’m the biggest [name] in the division. This is about entertainment. The UFC is an entertainment company. You want to make the biggest fight? It’s going to be [me versus] the winner of ‘JDM’ and Islam.”
He added, “If Islam pulls that one out, former pound-for-pound [versus] current pound-for-pound — who doesn’t pay for that?”
Della Maddalena, an Australian welterweight, won the title against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in May 2025, ending Muhammad’s 11-fight unbeaten run. Makhachev, the former lightweight champion, vacated his 155-pound belt in 2025 to challenge Della Maddalena, with the fight expected in late 2025, though not yet official.
Usman respects both fighters.
“JDM is no slouch, let’s not look past JDM,” he said. “I said that in his last fight, and he went out there and showed you guys, don’t look past him. He’s very, very talented. Islam is extremely talented. I love Islam. I think him coming in makes that division a lot more interesting. So if he’s able to get in there and wrestle that belt away from JDM, current pound-for-pound [versus] former pound-for-pound, I think everybody wants to watch that [fight between us].”
Usman landed a takedown in each of the first four rounds, outstriking Buckley 137-51. Buckley found success in the fifth round, landing hard punches, but it wasn’t enough.
“I was able to come in there and really utilize one skill,” Usman said, “but hey, I still possess what it takes to be the best in this division. It’s only up from here.”
The co-main event saw Rose Namajunas defeat Miranda Maverick by unanimous decision in a women’s flyweight bout. Edmen Shahbazyan won a unanimous decision over Andre Petroski at middleweight, and Raoni Barcelos beat Cody Garbrandt at bantamweight. Mansur Abdul-Malik defeated Cody Brundage via technical decision after an accidental head clash.
Alonzo Menifield topped Oumar Sy at light heavyweight, and Paul Craig’s fight with Rodolfo Bellato ended in a no-contest due to an illegal upkick.
Usman’s win reestablishes him as a top welterweight contender. His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, told MMA Junkie that Usman is in peak form, predicting a tough night for Buckley, which proved accurate. Usman dismissed a callout from Belal Muhammad, focusing on Della Maddalena or Makhachev.
