Daniel Cormier, UFC color commentator and analyst, found himself in the middle of a heated exchange with welterweight fighter Joaquin Buckley after Buckley made a disrespectful callout following a win at UFC St. Louis. In front of his hometown crowd, Buckley not only called out Conor McGregor but also insulted McGregor’s family, including his late mother.
Cormier, along with fellow UFC personalities Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen, criticized Buckley’s callout, with Cormier calling it “horrible” and emphasizing that mentioning McGregor’s late mother, Audrey, was crossing a line. In response, Buckley took to Twitter to insult Cormier and the other fighters, calling them derogatory names.
Cormier didn’t hold back in his response, telling Buckley to “shut up” and warning him not to mention his late mother. Audrey passed away in 2022, and Cormier made it clear that bringing her into the conversation was unacceptable.
The exchange between Cormier and Buckley has sparked further criticism of Buckley’s callout of McGregor, with many questioning his decision to target such a high-profile fighter instead of seeking out a more suitable opponent in the welterweight division.
As the dust settles, it remains to be seen who Buckley will face next in the Octagon. However, with Cormier’s fiery response and willingness to speak out against disrespect, it wouldn’t be surprising if he decided to step out of retirement and face Buckley himself. The drama continues to unfold in the world of UFC, with no shortage of controversy and conflict.