Joaquin Buckley Reacts to Being Excluded from UFC 328 Press Conference MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Joaquin Buckley will not be participating in the UFC 328 pre-fight press conference, despite his scheduled main card matchup against Sean Brady on Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The UFC’s decision to feature only the main and co-main event fighters for Thursday’s event left Buckley and Brady excluded from the media session. Buckley, who recently ended a six-fight winning streak with a loss to former champion Kamaru Usman in June, expressed his feelings about the situation during Wednesday’s UFC 328 media day. When asked how he felt about not being included in the press conference, Buckley told reporters, “That’s a great question. I feel like for me, that’s where I should have been, and where I should be. But May 9, I’ve just got to show the world why I’m a superstar and why I’m a main event fighter.” Buckley emphasized his focus on the upcoming fight as a chance to prove his status. Buckley’s exclusion from the press conference came after his six-fight winning streak was snapped by Kamaru Usman in June. Following the loss, he sought additional training, including time at Kill Cliff FC, where he trained alongside Usman. He described the experience as beneficial, stating, “The training has been good. A lot of people are going to see all the things I learned from Usman, and from that fight, and the things I got to work on skill-wise when I was competing with him just in the gym.” Buckley’s comments highlighted his belief that the lessons from his loss to Usman would translate into improved performance against Brady, a wrestler with an 18-2 MMA record and 8-2 UFC record.#prudential_center #kamaru_usman #ufc_328 #joaquin_buckley #sean_brady
Kamaru Usman Praises MVP's MMA Debut as a Win-Win for the Sport May 4, 2026, 8:50 p.m. ET Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has expressed strong support for Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) as the organization prepares to host its inaugural MMA event on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The card, which will stream on Netflix, features a high-profile main event between Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano, alongside appearances from veteran fighters such as Francis Ngannou, Nate Diaz, and Junior Dos Santos. Usman, who previously competed in the UFC, praised the event as a significant opportunity for the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) to gain broader exposure. Speaking on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Henry Cejudo, Usman emphasized the positive impact of the event, stating, “It’s going to be an incredible night. I think this is great for the sport of mixed martial arts – a new promotion to really shine a light on the sport. I think it’s all a win-win for everybody here to get the opportunity, and for the sport.” He highlighted the importance of expanding opportunities for fighters, noting that the event represents a step forward for the growth of MMA. “The sport wins this night. It’s not this promotion vs. this promotion. I think it’s the sport as a whole that wins, especially giving an opportunity to more and more fighters to be able to do their thing. I am going to be tuned in, May 16, watching.” Usman’s comments align with his public endorsement of Jake Paul’s foray into MMA, which he has previously praised as a way to bring new audiences to the sport. The MVP card also includes younger, rising talents such as undefeated flyweight phenom Muhammad Mokaev and KSW champion Salahdine Parnasse, showcasing a blend of established stars and emerging prospects.#ronda_rousey #gina_carano #most_valuable_promotions #intuit_dome #kamaru_usman
