UFC accused of putting Joaquin Buckley vs. Stephen Thompson in the prelims after Aljamain Sterling’s fight backlash

Joaquin Buckley rips idea of UFC 307 Pay-per-view preliminary vs. Stephen Thompson in favor of main card slot for Aljamain Sterling.


UFC accused of putting Joaquin Buckley vs. Stephen Thompson in the prelims after Aljamain Sterling’s fight backlash

Joaquin Buckley bumped to UFC 307 late prelims in place of Aljamain Sterling (Source: IMAGO)

When the UFC lands in Utah, it habitually brings zesty brawls to the mountains. The UFC 307 Pay-per-view from inside the Delta Center could be the same. This could be a different one after too much critical input about slow-running UFC 304 Manchester PPV timing and this Saturday’s UFC 306. However, welterweight Joaquin Buckley has some issues with the lineup – and it all centers around Aljamain Sterling.

Joaquin Buckley meets two-time welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson at UFC 307. Buckley vs. the UFC’s Karate Kid could be a pure strike fest after some time. However, there was much uproar when it came to be that Aljamain Sterling would again be on the event prelims. After a blowback from MMA publications sites, the ESPN broadcast made him the third fight of the night. Buckley has some thoughts.

Y’all know I been quiet, …Look, that ain’t because I’m worried about nothing. I’m very excited for what’s going to happen in my career… It seems like they [UFC] changed their mind and put me on the prelims…I feel like this is the fight right here, this is the last one y’all get for free. You hear me?
Joaquin Buckley said; 🎥 : @ParryPunchNews

‘Wonderboy’ never won UFC gold but defeated champions like Robert Whittaker and Johny Hendricks. He once dominated Rory MacDonald and Jorge Masvidal. ‘New Mansa’ is also 4-0 since dropping down to welterweight. He last won at the UFC  St. Louis co-main event at Enterprise Center. This matchup could be one for ages; the like of which Ian Garry vs. Michael Page was billed as.

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According to ESPN’s homepage and UFC card order, Joaquin Buckley makes the walk at the late prelims, airing on ESPNews/ESPN+ Pay-per-view at 8:00 A.M. The spot where Aljo was first to be. However, that all could soon change as Sterling only recently announced that he is out of the event due to a training injury. ESPN’s homepage is yet to shuffle the order. Nevertheless, Buckley may be in luck.

Fight fans react to Joaquin Buckley’s ultimatum

The Official lineup for the UFC 307 pay-per-view (PPV) event is in flux. Just like UFC 300 and UFC 303, where Alex Pereira was the calendar headliner earlier this year, UFC 307 is set to be another all-star showdown. However, Sterling vs. Movsar Evloev and ‘New Mansa’ vs. Thompson are the only matchups that made sense.

Fans react to Joaquin Buckley
Fans react to Joaquin Buckley (Source: X/msn.com)

Aljamain Sterling was to be on the main card, streaming on Sunday/ 10:00 A.M. GMT+8. ‘Funk Master’ was to face the No. 6-ranked featherweight but was soon down to his usual spot at the penultimate fight of late prelims. After some social media contrast, the former bantamweight kingpin again entered the main card.

Aljo, who was already contemplating a trip north of a division, has a lot of attention for his next bout. Now that he has announced his subsequent withdrawal, the order is still the same. Joaquin Buckley has already shown he is not afraid to call foul on what he thinks is folly. Hence, he had some choice words about this week’s prelim shift. Here is what fans think of it.

Some fans have billed him as one of the most entertaining fighters on the current roster (other than the likes of Johnny Walker, Merab Dvalishvili, or Paulo Costa). Others have gibed his ultimatum saying whatever he does, fight streaming is going to be free anyway. Not that it is necessarily what ‘New Mansa’ meant in essence. Others have also lauded him for his insight into the Thompson fight at UFC 307.