UFC 328 is approaching, and there are some high-stakes bouts scheduled for the card.
One of those pivotal matchups will be contested in the welterweight division. Top 10-ranked fighters Sean Brady and Joaquin Buckley will collide inside Prudential Center in Newark on May 9. Going into the bout, Brady is the No. 6-ranked UFC welterweight, while Buckley sits at the No. 10 spot.
Both Brady and Buckley are coming off setbacks that halted their winning streaks. Appearing on MMA Junkie Radio, Jon Anik shared his belief that the loser of Brady vs. Buckley could be out of the title picture for at least a couple of years.
“It’s a hard time to be a welterweight contender,” Anik said. “Just ask Mike Malott, right? Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena fighting guys like Gilbert (Burns), Gabriel Bonfim and Carlos Prates on the way up – it’s hard to be a welterweight contender right now.
“If Sean Brady or Joaquin Buckley suffers a successive loss here, you know, it’s a two-year championship setback. So I think given the stakes and given the state of the welterweight division, that one jumps off the card.”
Brady was last seen inside the Octagon back in Nov. 2025. The Philadelphia native appeared to be on track for a UFC welterweight title opportunity, but he was stopped by Michael Morales via first-round TKO.
Buckley’s most recent fight was all the way back in June 2025. Riding a six-fight winning streak, some expected Buckley to score a signature win over Kamaru Usman in the UFC Atlanta main event. Instead, Usman put forth a grappling display that earned him the unanimous decision victory.
Do you think the loser of Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley would be set as far back as Jon Anik thinks? Share your opinion and prediction for the fight in the comments below.