Islam Makhachev responded to Joaquin Buckley's recent victory with a lighthearted comment calling him 'Nutella cake.' The brief social media interaction came after Buckley's impressive performance that has positioned him as a potential title contender. Makhachev's playful jab suggests awareness of Buckley as a future opponent while maintaining the champion's confident persona. The exchange adds to the growing narrative around potential matchups in the welterweight division.
Welterweight champion Islam Makhachev took a moment after Joaquin Buckley's latest victory to offer a tongue-in-cheek reaction on social media, referring to the American striker as "Nutella cake" in what amounted to a brief but telling acknowledgment of a rising contender.
Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1 record and currently sits atop both the welterweight division and the pound-for-pound rankings. The Russian southpaw, who trains out of Eagles MMA, is known for suffocating grappling — he averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes — but his striking has quietly become a weapon as well, with a 58 percent striking accuracy rate.
Buckley, 32, enters the conversation at 21-8 and currently ranked eleventh in the welterweight division. Nicknamed "New Mansa," the St. Louis-born southpaw is one of the more dangerous knockout artists in the weight class, averaging 3.88 significant strikes per minute. His reach of 76 inches, or 193 cm, gives him a physical edge over many welterweights and has factored into several of his highlight-reel finishes. He trains out of Murcielago MMA.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's public acknowledgment, however playful, signals he is keeping tabs on Buckley as a potential future opponent at 170 pounds.
- Buckley's recent performance has pushed him further into the title conversation despite sitting outside the top ten.
- The stylistic contrast is sharp: Makhachev's elite wrestling and submission threat against Buckley's high-volume striking and significant reach advantage.
- Any movement up the rankings for Buckley would intensify calls for a championship matchup.
