Kamaru Usman appeared to channel Roy Jones Jr. during the main event of UFC Atlanta, showcasing a “Y’all Must’ve Forgot” moment. The former UFC welterweight champion made an impressive comeback, defeating rising contender Joaquin Buckley by decision at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. This victory marked Usman’s first win since his 2021 title rematch against Colby Covington.
After a 20-month hiatus—the longest of his MMA career—and three consecutive losses, Usman (21-4) returned to his wrestling roots, dominating Buckley (21-7) with superior grappling skills. He secured a unanimous decision victory with scores of 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47.
After the fight, Usman fought back tears as he reflected on the challenging years he has endured. “It’s been awhile,” he stated. “I needed to get that monkey off my back. I know I’m still able to do this at the highest level…” He emphasized that despite the online critiques about his knee injuries, he still possesses the skills to compete with anyone in the welterweight division.
At 38, Usman was once viewed as the top pound-for-pound fighter for much of his championship reign from 2019 to 2021, completing five successful title defenses and achieving a record of 15 consecutive victories. However, his title run ended dramatically when Leon Edwards captured the belt with a remarkable fifth-round comeback in 2022. Usman subsequently lost to Edwards again and faced Khamzat Chimaev in his middleweight debut in 2023.
Determined to prove himself, Usman executed a single takedown in each of the first four rounds. He consistently grounded Buckley, controlling the fight with nearly 13 minutes of control time and a significant advantage in total strikes (137-51). Although Buckley found some success in the later rounds, it wasn’t enough to overcome Usman’s veteran experience.
Usman’s decisive victory ended Buckley’s six-fight winning streak, which had included notable knockouts of Vicente Luque and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Following his performance, Usman expressed his desire to reclaim his former welterweight title, declaring, “I have been, and always will be, the f***ing boogeyman.”
In the co-main event, former two-time UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas recorded a victory over contender Miranda Maverick via unanimous decision in a closely contested match. For complete results and highlights from UFC Atlanta, including main card play-by-play, check the links below.
Main Card
Welterweight: Kamaru Usman def. Joaquin Buckley via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)
Women’s Flyweight: Rose Namajunas def. Miranda Maverick via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Middleweight: Edmen Shahbazyan def. Andre Petroski via unanimous decision (30-27, 20-27, 29-28)
Bantamweight: Raoni Barcelos def. Cody Garbrandt via unanimous decision (29-28 All)
Middleweight: Mansur Abdul-Malik def. Cody Brundage via technical decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) after head clash.
Light Heavyweight: Alonzo Menifield def. Oumar Sy via unanimous decision (29-28 All)
Prelims
Light Heavyweight: Paul Craig vs. Rodolfo Bellato ends in a no-contest (illegal upkick).
Welterweight: Michael Chiesa def. Court McGee via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Bantamweight: Malcolm Wellmaker def. Kris Moutinho via knockout (punch) at 2:37 of R1.
Flyweight: Jose Ochoa def. Cody Durden via knockout (punches) at 0:11 of R2.
Bantamweight: Ricky Simon def. Cameron Smotherman via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Welterweight: Phil Rowe def. Ange Loosa via TKO (punches) at 4:03 of R3.
Women’s Flyweight: Jamey-Lyn Horth def. Vanessa Demopoulos via unanimous decision (30-27 All)
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