The UFC welterweight division has come under fire from Joaquin Buckley, who described the weight class as “frozen” following Islam Makhachev’s coronation as the new champion last November, İdman.Biz reports.
Since Makhachev captured the belt, none of the current top 10 contenders at 170lbs have an officially confirmed bout on the horizon, leading to mounting frustration among fighters and fans alike. The lack of scheduled match-ups in what is traditionally one of the promotion’s most competitive divisions has raised questions about the immediate direction of the title picture.
Speaking in a video posted on social media, Buckley did not hold back. “Our division has stalled, it’s crazy. The matchmakers know their job, they do it far better than I ever could. But right now they have the hottest division in their hands and nobody is fighting anyone,” he said.
He went on to criticise several leading names in the weight class, suggesting that inactivity is harming the division’s momentum. “Islam is playing his own version of basketball, Prates is out in clubs, Morales is dancing, Della Maddalena is at home, Leon Edwards has disappeared. Ian Garry is watching from the corner and Belal Muhammad is trying to sell you something. I don’t understand what’s going on. We need to stay active, we’re wasting time,” Buckley added.
The welterweight division has historically been one of the UFC’s flagship categories, producing champions such as Georges St-Pierre, Kamaru Usman and Edwards. With Makhachev now at the helm, attention will turn to whether the promotion can quickly restore momentum and line up meaningful contests among the leading contenders.
