Joaquin Buckley sees UFC 328 as a must-win scenario.
Buckley is set to share the Octagon with Sean Brady inside the Prudential Center in Newark on Saturday. It’s a crucial bout in the welterweight division with two top contenders, each coming off a loss. Buckley was defeated by Kamaru Usman via unanimous decision back in June 2025. Brady’s setback occurred in Nov. 2025 when he was stopped by Michael Morales.
Speaking to Mike Bohn of MMAJunkie, Buckley said he is preparing for this weekend’s event as if he could get a pink slip from the UFC brass.
“My thing is just go out there and perform – that’s my thing,” Buckley said. “I don’t think about two years being set back. Anybody that loses this fight is getting cut. That’s how I look at it. My job is on the line. That’s how I see it. That’s different. That’s my mentality. People like to make the most out of all this stuff because at the end of the day your performance speaks for itself. As long as you’re performing you’re good. You’re going to be straight.”
Of course, many doubt that either contender would be released following a loss on Saturday, but perhaps stranger things have happened. Buckley was riding a six-fight winning streak before he struggled with the grappling of Usman. During his streak, “New Mansa” defeated the likes of Colby Covington and Stephen Thompson.
Brady had his three-fight winning streak snapped when he was stopped by Morales. He had wins over Leon Edwards, Gilbert Burns, and Kelvin Gastelum. Brady’s skills have been heavily praised and many believed he was ready to challenge Islam Makhachev, but he will need to work his way back up, just as Buckley must do.
Who are you leaning towards taking the win at UFC 328, Joaquin Buckley or Sean Brady? Share your prediction in the comments below.