The Daniel Cormier Show - Joaquin Buckley on Islam Makhachev comments, Sean Brady fight, Prates TKO

It’s been a while since you were in the octagon, and you and I have had some productive off-the-record talks. How are you feeling heading into this next chapter?

I feel refreshed. The time off helped, and working with Usman gave me a real reset on fundamentals and how to carry myself like a champion day to day.

How did that link-up happen, and what did you actually work on while you were there?

It was a short stint focused on basics. We drilled positional control, footwork, and staying composed so I can dictate where a fight takes place.

After that fight with Kamaru, when you looked back, what was the single biggest takeaway?

I needed to clear up life outside the cage and make fighting the main thing again. Now I see my lane clearly—compete consistently and climb until the belt’s mine.

What changed in your preparation and team setup to support that?

I’ve never had a traditional super-gym, so I’m building in St. Louis brick by brick, and my gas tank is real. The big shift is adding Jeff Henry as a true MMA head coach and letting him run the system the last eleven months.

I love the mindless-training idea where you show up and let trusted coaches shape the work. You’ve got Sean Brady this week after facing a former champ; that has to feel like the right kind of assignment.

For sure. The title is always the goal, but I’m here to compete, and stylistically Brady is a strong matchup for me. I’m grateful and ready to put on a show.

What did you see in Brady’s recent fights, especially the Morales knockout, that matters for you?

The mind leads the body. I felt he was fighting not to get slept and that invites the shot you fear; he had tools to win but the mindset cost him.

You’re an intimidating presence too; does that history affect the Brady who shows up across from you?

He’ll come in confident for his own reasons. And me? I’m the softest guy on the roster—until the cage door shuts.

Your division is buzzing with names like Morales, Ian Garry, and Carlos Protes. Where do you fit into that mix, especially after not always being mentioned with them?

We’re all going to meet sooner or later. I’d love those to be for gold, but either way I’m here to compete, and time away made me hungry to build something iconic.

You spoke about Islam Makhachev’s title path and some people push back when a contender talks after a loss. Are you trying to set that fight up or just stating your view?

I’m not forcing anything; fans and the promotion steer that ship. My opinion was that JDM was a favorable matchup for Islam given injuries, and I even thought I might get a short-notice call, but it wasn’t my time; Usman showed a hole I’m fixing, and nobody’s breaking me.

To Islam’s credit, JDM had just stuffed a lot of Belal’s attempts, which made him look tough to hold down.

There are levels to grappling. Belal’s a sharp strategist, but Islam’s pure wrestling and control are different. The answer is clear for all of us—stop the first entries and keep it standing, which takes hard rounds with elite wrestlers.

Before you go, what’s your read on Strickland versus Chimaev this weekend?

It’s a great clash. Strickland’s cardio and body work carry late, but Chimaev is a hammer once he locks on; Sean’s best path is to press him early and make that first shot messy.

Joaquin Buckley versus Sean Brady goes down at UFC 328. He’s always in can’t-miss fights, and I can’t wait to see it in New York–New Jersey. Appreciate you, my brother—see you this week.