James Krause implies he’s twice requested Joaquin Buckley fight; Buckley rep focused on middleweights

Four days ago, James Krause asked an unnamed fighter to say his name. To hear him tell it, the fighter didn’t reply.

On Wednesday, Krause indicated his rival, Joaquin Buckley, had turned down two opportunities to fight him. Krause also tagged the surging middleweight and his rep.

“I’ve asked for the fight twice now,” he wrote. “Nobody else from my team is fighting you. It’s me or move the f*ck on. If they want the fight tell them to send me a contract. If not, I’m done talking about it.”

Krause became a Buckley target soon after a viral knockout that put the 26-year-old up-and-comer on the short list for “Knockout of the Year.” Buckley said he was upset by one of Krause’s social media posts, and Krause later explained he turned down Buckley’s request to train at his gym, Glory MMA and Fitness.

After his second octagon win, a knockout of Jordan Wright at UFC 255, Buckley called out Krause without using his name. Later, he explained the origin of the grudge and said Krause “wants to keep a brother down.”

Reached for comment, Buckley’s manager, Brian Butler of Suckerpunch Entertainment, told MMA Fighting via text message he has nothing against Krause and said the fight could happen one day – but perhaps not on the timetable desired.

“Joaquin has his eyes set on climbing the middleweight division,” Butler wrote. “From a ‘fighter’ standpoint, Joaquin is ready to stop talking and settle it on sight. James is a great fighter and a 16x UFC vet, but he is also a welterweight. That being said, fighting James does nothing to advance Joaquin in the [middleweight] division.

“This fight very well may happen at some point but the UFC has a plan and we are focused on getting through contracts, climbing the middleweight ranks and increasing his financial security along the way.”

Buckley recently told TMZ he is now in the apparel business after his stunning UFC debut. But he continues to work as a manager at Walgreens until he gets his financial footing under him.

As MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin recently reported, Buckley and Butler also indicated there are other offers on the table. Buckley took another shot at Krause in the process.

Krause, who has competed both in the UFC welterweight and middleweight division, most recently fought at 170 pounds, outpointing Claudio Silva in October at UFC Fight Island 6. Prior to that, he was outpointed by middleweight Trevin Giles in a controversial split decision.