Buckley finishes Maddalena with varied striking, raises questions for Makhachev

A detailed breakdown of Joaquin Buckley's victory over Jack Della Maddalena reveals that Maddalena relied heavily on a boxing guard that proved ineffective against Buckley's diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees and punches. Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance despite previously having his left leg damaged by Belal Muhammad, and Buckley punished his left side with mid-kicks. Maddalena lacked the aggression and speed needed to pressure Buckley effectively. The analysis suggests Buckley's belief in himself and universal striking ability would have overcome any game plan from Maddalena. Looking ahead to a potential Islam Makhachev fight, Buckley's dangerous low kicks pose a threat to the southpaw champion, as he has damaged the lead legs of previous southpaw opponents like Leon Edwards and Maddalena within the first round. However, Makhachev's high-level striking and wrestling, combined with the draining effect of ground control, could neutralize Buckley's striking confidence.