Joaquin Buckley isn't one to mince words, and ahead of his pivotal welterweight showdown at UFC 328, the surging contender is making it crystal clear: Islam Makhachev's crown isn't as untouchable as some might think.

Speaking at Tuesday's media availability in Morristown, New Jersey, Buckley (21-7) didn't hold back when discussing the current 170-pound champion. "I don't want to sound disrespectful, but who did Makhachev beat to become a welterweight champion?" Buckley said. "He got one of the easiest fights when he took that title. No disrespect to Jack Della Maddalena, but he didn't prove much to anybody when he even got the title shot."

Buckley, who returns to action Saturday on the main card of UFC 328 in Newark against top-10 opponent Sean Brady (18-2), has spent the last 11 months sharpening his weapons after a hard-fought decision loss to former champion Kamaru Usman last June snapped his six-fight win streak. That defeat was a wake-up call for the 32-year-old St. Louis native.

"There's levels to this," Buckley admitted. "No matter how much you wrestle, if that's someone's bread and butter, that's their bread and butter. But don't get it twisted—my wrestling is pretty good, and the guy I'm facing, Sean Brady, I feel like I'll be able to show my overall game."

Buckley spent part of his training camp at Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield Beach, Florida, working on his grappling alongside Usman and Vicente Luque. The extended layoff has given him time to evolve, and he believes it will show against Brady.

"Sean Brady is a good grappler, for sure, but he's not a wrestler. If you know, you know," Buckley said. "With the 11 months I've been out, a lot of people just don't realize how much I've been able to train."

For fans gearing up for UFC 328, Buckley's confidence and sharp tongue promise fireworks—both in the cage and on the mic. Whether he can back it up against Brady is another story, but one thing's certain: Buckley believes the title picture is wide open.