UFC welterweight Joaquin Buckley has sparked controversy and criticism from UFC commentator Daniel Cormier and others after he insulted Conor McGregor‘s family and called out Cormier’s late mother in a post-fight rant.
Daniel Cormier knows he’s not immune to criticism. He’s a UFC color commentator and analyst, after all. But, when someone dares to bring up his late mother, that’s crossing a line.
Joaquin Buckley, a UFC welterweight, did just that. He targeted Cormier and a few other fighters who had critiqued his post-fight callout at UFC St. Louis. Buckley had just won another match in front of his hometown crowd. But then, he went on a rant. He called for a fight against Conor McGregor and insulted McGregor’s family, including his mom.
The same night, UFC CEO Dana White was asked if Buckley might get his wish. His answer? A resounding “no.” Cormier later said that Buckley’s callout was “horrible,” particularly because he insulted McGregor’s family.
Buckley didn’t take this lying down. He took to Twitter, writing, “Let this be known Daniel Cormier, Michael Bisping, Chael Sonnen — Ya mommas raised some hoes!!!!! Ya’ll really trying to twist up my words knowing damn well what I said in that cage but it’s OK we can all have some fun.”
Cormier didn’t hold back in his response. He shot back, “Shut up p*ssy! Maybe listen. You had a dumb ass call out. You’re getting talked about by three of the biggest voices in the game. Maybe listen. It was the worst call out in history. Don’t let winning at few fights at 170 pounds get you too excited, bruh. Don’t mention Audrey!”
Audrey, by the way, is Cormier’s late mother. She passed away in 2022.
Buckley’s antics aren’t winning him any fans, especially not among the more prominent voices in the sport. Cormier and Bisping, who also call fights for the UFC, are certainly not impressed.
Buckley’s decision to call out McGregor has been widely criticized. And not just by Cormier, Bisping, and Sonnen.
Instead of seeking a higher-ranked opponent at welterweight, Buckley asked for McGregor. But McGregor is already scheduled to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June.
As for who Buckley might fight next, that’s still up in the air. But, given his recent spat with Cormier, don’t be surprised if the UFC Hall of Famer comes out of retirement to take him on.