by
- What: UFC Atlanta Main Event
- Who: Kamaru Usman Vs. Joaquin Buckley
- Date: Saturday, June 14, 2025
- Location: State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA
- Time: Prelims (7:00 p.m. ET), Main Card (10:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: ESPN+
With UFC 316 behind us and Merab Dvalishvili retaining his men’s UFC bantamweight title and Kayla Harrison becoming the women’s bantamweight champion, it’s time to look toward the next fight card on the UFC schedule. That event, UFC Atlanta, takes place on Saturday, June 14 at State Farm Arena and features a welterweight main event between former UFC champion Kamaru Usman and the surging Joaquin Buckley.
Kamaru Usman (20-4) enters the UFC Atlanta fight card riding a three-fight losing skid. The former champ opened his MMA career on a 20-1 run, defending the UFC welterweight title five times before he dropped the belt to Leon Edwards in a surprise knockout setback in August 2022. Since then he lost a decision to Edwards in a rematch and dropped a decision to Khamzat Chimaev at middleweight in October 2023.
Joaquin Buckley (21-6) was 15-6 as a pro before he decided to drop to welterweight in May 2023. Since moving to 170 pounds, Buckley is 6-0 with four knockout wins. He is coming off a December 2024 TKO win over former interim UFC welterweight champ Colby Covington.
Before we look at the best bets for Kamaru Usman Vs. Joaquin Buckley on the UFC Atlanta card, check out the best UFC betting sites and where you can find our betting picks for the UFC 317 main event, Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira.
UFC Atlanta Main Event: Kamaru Usman Vs. Joaquin Buckley betting picks
| Fighters |  |  |  |
| Kamaru Usman | +215 | +230 | +228 |
| Joaquin Buckley | -255 | -280 | -270 |
UFC Atlanta Main Event: Kamaru Usman betting breakdown
The 38-year-old Kamaru Usman joined the UFC in 2015. Throughout his run with the promotion, the ex-welterweight champ was getting better with every fight of his career. Until back-to-back losses to Leon Edwards, Usman added new wrinkles to his game, relying less on his wrestling skills and becoming a more well-rounded MMA fighter. He defended the UFC welterweight title five times before losing the belt to Edwards. Despite his three-fight losing skid entering UFC Atlanta, Usman is the No. 5 ranked 170-pound competitor in the UFC.
Usman was once known mostly for his wrestling, but his striking has developed to the point where he doesn’t need to wrestle if he doesn’t have to. He works well in the open or against the fence with his striking. His striking is balanced as well. Usman has shown he can land with power while also racking up volume while maintaining his cardio. The former champ did fade against Chimaev, but that fight was at 185 pounds, and Usman also agreed to face the dangerous Chimaev on short notice.
Usman lands 4.36 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy of 52 percent. He absorbs 2.74 significant strikes per minute with a striking defense of 54 percent. Usman averages 2.82 takedowns per 15 minutes. His takedown accuracy is 45 percent, while his takedown defense stands at 89 percent.
UFC Atlanta Main Event: Joaquin Buckley betting breakdown
Joaquin Buckley has been with the UFC since 2020. He is in the midst of the longest winning streak of his UFC career, with six consecutive wins. He spent most of his career with the UFC at middleweight, but his drop to welterweight has worked out well for him.
Buckley has a lot of speed, good movement, and he packs a lot of power in his strikes, and despite packing a lot of muscle on his 5-foot-10-inch frame, he has solid cardio. Buckley is comfortable on the feet. He usually focuses on the head and body of his opponent while putting together combinations when he commits to the striking game. Buckley is also unafraid to mix in takedown attempts to keep his foe on their toes. He employs lateral movement and uses feints to keep his opponent from getting a bead on him. His power will be the biggest factor in this matchup.
Buckley has never gone five rounds in his UFC career but his fight with Covington was booked as a five-rounder. At 31, Buckley is seven years younger than Usman. Buckley is ranked No. 7 in the UFC welterweight division.
Buckley lands 4.22 significant strikes per minute, with a success rate of 37 percent. He gets hit, on average, 3.13 times per minute, and his striking defense is 59 percent. As for grappling, Buckley lands 1.78 takedowns per minute with a success rate of 45 percent. His takedown defense is 73 percent.
Best Bets: UFC Atlanta Main Event – Kamaru Usman Vs. Joaquin Buckley
Kamaru Usman has better credentials than Joaquin Buckley ahead of their UFC Atlanta matchup. However, he is the older fighter, the slower fighter and the less active fighter. I think Usman approaches this fight with caution, and that defensive-minded approach will help him avoid being knocked out, but it won’t get him the win.
The betting pick is for Joaquin Buckley to beat Kamaru Usman via decision in the UFC Atlanta main event.
See below the top offshore sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
Best Betting Sites 