Joaquin Buckley looks to stay perfect at 170lbs against a two-time former title challenger in Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson and edge closer towards serious championship contention, while the women’s bantamweight division features moving parts – Ketlen Vieira feels Kayla Harrison’s MMA resume is overstated before their title eliminator on a night where the title may again change hands.
Buckley: Win positions me to fight for title one day
JOAQUIN Buckley heads into this weekend on a four-fight win streak, dating back to consecutive middleweight defeats by ranked contenders Nassourdine Imavov and Chris Curtis in the final quarter of 2022, having dropped down to welterweight where his physical gifts and technical developments are more apparent among opposition.
During yesterday’s media day, he was complimentary about former title challenger Stephen Thompson’s accomplishments during a distinguished career across two combat sport disciplines but naturally sees him as another stepping stone en route to his hunt for championship gold. As quoted by MMAJunkie, the 30-year-old said:
“RIght now, he’s somebody that’s going to push my name, so you can call him a gatekeeper. He’s definitely been at the highest level for the longest time, this is the lowest ranking he’s ever been, but I can’t tell his story… only make mine. This win puts me in the position where I can fight for the title one day.”
Thompson, four months from his 42nd birthday, has lost three of his last four outings against top divisional competition. Gilbert Burns’ dominant decision win over him in July 2021 proved an effective blueprint for others to follow and new champion Belal Muhammad emulated the same success five months later, before #3 contender Shavkat Rakhmonov’s second-round submission win in Dec. 2023.
Given his unorthodox karate style, Thompson accepts it’s far easier and less risky for opponents to grapple and wrestle rather than be lulled into a false sense of security against someone who can often outfox them in stand-up exchanges – as was the case during a fiery main event showcase against Kevin Holland in Dec. 2022.
That intriguing welterweight showdown being placed in the evening’s featured prelim slot has unsurprisingly seen some pushback from Wonderboy, though it’s a strategic tactic if anything to compel more paying fans into the building earlier as the promotion returns to Utah’s Salt Lake City for a third event in the last three years.
Vieira keen to silence Harrison, but can she?
Elsewhere… #2 ranked contender Ketlen Vieira is eager to stress-test two-time PFL lightweight champion Kayla Harrison in their bantamweight title eliminator as plenty has already been said about a championship roadmap for the victor.
“Kayla carries a good name in judo, she hasn’t been proven in MMA. She’s an athlete that’s so dependent specifically on the ground game, but I can strike with the best – I’m not sure she can – I’ve wrestled against someone with an Olympic medal, jiu-jitsu with the best, I can do it all, don’t think she can.”
- Vieira, through a translator, isn’t convinced by Harrison
Defending champion Raquel Pennington vs. former titlist Julianna Pena takes place mere hours afterwards, and neither is exactly a secure bet to reign over the division at a time where fresh matchups and younger contenders are getting shine.
Harrison, a two-time Olympic champion in judo, blasted beyond former champ Holly Holm on a memorable Octagon debut in April and many feel the 34-year-old’s toughest test is depleting herself to make weight on the scales, given how she’s often campaigned two divisions above the promotion’s 135lb bantamweight limit.
Considering Harrison’s former training teammate and two-weight champion Amanda Nunes continues to hint at a comeback, surveying the scene after retiring on top last summer, it’ll be interesting to see how things play out over the next few months.
UFC 307 card, is as follows
Main card
Light-heavyweight: Alex Pereira (c) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr [8]
Women’s Bantamweight: Raquel Pennington (c) vs. Julianna Pena [1]
Bantamweight: Jose Aldo [10] vs. Mario Bautista [11]
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze [10] vs. Kevin Holland
Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira [2] vs. Kayla Harrison [3]
Prelims
Welterweight: Stephen Thompson [9] vs. Joaquin Buckley [11]
Women’s Strawweight: Marina Rodriguez [6] vs. Iasmin Lucindo [14]
Lightweight: Alexander Hernandez vs. Austin Hubbard
Middleweight: Cesar Almeida vs. Ihor Potieria
Early prelims
Light-heavy: Ryan Spann vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Women’s Strawweight: Carla Esparza vs. Tecia Pennington
Welterweight: Court McGee vs. Tim Means
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes hyperlinked
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