Daniel Cormier leaks which fighter almost got a shot at Belal Muhammad's 170-pound belt instead of Jack Della Maddalena but UFC never made it public

Daniel Cormier made a surprising announcement during the UFC 313 broadcast, naming another fighter who was on the verge of securing a welterweight title shot against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315. However, the UFC ultimately chose Jack Della Maddalena for the May 10 fight in Montreal, Canada.

Muhammad, the current 170-pound champion, will defend his title against Della Maddalena, who pulled out of a fight with Leon Edwards at UFC London to pursue this title opportunity. Cormier stated that Joaquin Buckley was seriously considered for the challenger position, even though the UFC never publicly acknowledged it.

Cormier said during the broadcast:

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“I heard [Joaquin Buckley] almost got it. I know it wasn’t public, but they said it came very close to Joaquin Buckley being the guy.” [H/t: Bloddy Elbow]

Buckley has been making a strong case for himself in the division. After debuting against Kevin Holland in 2020, he quickly made headlines with a stunning spinning back-kick knockout against Impa Kasanganay, which became the UFC’s most-watched social media clip.

Buckley continued his rise with knockout wins over Jordan Wright and Antônio Arroyo, earning multiple Performance of the Night bonuses. Despite setbacks against Alessio Di Chirico and Nassourdine Imavov, he rebounded with victories over Chris Curtis, André Fialho, and Alex Morono.

Buckley faced elite competition in 2024, winning a unanimous decision over Nursulton Ruziboev before knocking out former title challenger Stephen Thompson at UFC 307. His most recent victory came against former interim champion Colby Covington, whom he defeated via TKO following a doctor's stoppage.

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