UFC light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker will have the chance to snap his difficult winless run at the very first pay-per-view event of 2025. Walker (21-9, 1 NC) hasn’t had his hand raised since a decision victory over Anthony Smith put him on a three-fight win streak. After a no contest against Magomed Ankalaev halted […]
UFC light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker will have the chance to snap his difficult winless run at the very first pay-per-view event of 2025.
Walker (21-9, 1 NC) hasn’t had his hand raised since a decision victory over Anthony Smith put him on a three-fight win streak. After a no contest against Magomed Ankalaev halted his title ambitions last year, two devastating results in 2025 have well and truly dashed them.
Following a brutal knockout loss to Ankalaev in their immediate rematch this past January, the Brazilian fell to a similar fate at the hands of Volkan Oezdemir in Saudi Arabia five months later.
If he’s to rebound from those results, Walker will have to avoid the big shots of another of the division’s hardest hitters early next year.
Per Red Corner MMA, the #9-ranked contender is set to defend his place inside the top 10 opposite Bogdan Guskov (16-3) at UFC 311 on Jan. 18.
Since falling to a submission against Oezdemir in a short-notice debut in Paris 13 months ago, “Czarevitch” has put his ferocious power on full display, stopping both Zac Pauga and Ryan Spann inside the distance.
And having broken into the rankings with his triumph over “Superman,” the Uzbekistani brawler will now have his sights on Walker’s top-10 spot at 205 pounds.
The UFC 311 event currently doesn’t have a confirmed location and venue, but Los Angeles is rumored to be hosting the year-opening PPV.
UFC light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker will have the chance to snap his difficult winless run at the very first pay-per-view event of 2025. Walker (21-9, 1 NC) hasn’t had his hand raised since a decision victory over Anthony Smith put him on a three-fight win streak. After a no contest against Magomed Ankalaev halted […]
UFC light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker will have the chance to snap his difficult winless run at the very first pay-per-view event of 2025.
Walker (21-9, 1 NC) hasn’t had his hand raised since a decision victory over Anthony Smith put him on a three-fight win streak. After a no contest against Magomed Ankalaev halted his title ambitions last year, two devastating results in 2025 have well and truly dashed them.
Following a brutal knockout loss to Ankalaev in their immediate rematch this past January, the Brazilian fell to a similar fate at the hands of Volkan Oezdemir in Saudi Arabia five months later.
If he’s to rebound from those results, Walker will have to avoid the big shots of another of the division’s hardest hitters early next year.
Per Red Corner MMA, the #9-ranked contender is set to defend his place inside the top 10 opposite Bogdan Guskov (16-3) at UFC 311 on Jan. 18.
Since falling to a submission against Oezdemir in a short-notice debut in Paris 13 months ago, “Czarevitch” has put his ferocious power on full display, stopping both Zac Pauga and Ryan Spann inside the distance.
And having broken into the rankings with his triumph over “Superman,” the Uzbekistani brawler will now have his sights on Walker’s top-10 spot at 205 pounds.
The UFC 311 event currently doesn’t have a confirmed location and venue, but Los Angeles is rumored to be hosting the year-opening PPV.
Amid his continued losing skid, perennial light heavyweight contender, Johnny Walker appears to have switched his training allegiance from…
Amid his continued losing skid, perennial light heavyweight contender, Johnny Walker appears to have switched his training allegiance from Straight Blast Gym in Dublin – making the controversial move to San Jose, California under the tutelage of former undisputed lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Walker, who still holds the number nine rank in the official light heavyweight rankings, most recently featured on the main card of UFC Abu Dhabi earlier this summer, suffering a brutal knockout loss to former title challenger, Volkan Oezdemir.
Mandatory Credit: Chris Unger – Zuffa LLC
And earlier this year to boot, Rio de Janeiro native, Walker dropped a January loss to another ex-title challenger, Magomed Ankalaev in the pair’s rematch, courtesy of a second round knockout defeat.
Boasting a 21-9(1), Walker has also suffered other notable knockout defeats to former champion, Jamahal Hill, as well as Corey Anderson during his lengthy tenure in the UFC.
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari – Zuffa LLC
Johnny Walker takes talents to AKA with Khabib Nurmagomedov
However, amid his losing skid – Walker who has notably trained under the banner of SBG Ireland in Dublin alongside head coach, John Kavanagh, appears to have moved his base to California with the American Kickboxing Academy setup – notably under the tutelage of the above-mentioned, Nurmagomedov – who is tasked with turning the Brazilian’s run on it’s axis.
Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon – USA TODAY Sports
“If coach Khabib can save Johnny Walker he’s a miracle worker,” A user posted on their X account.
A once highly-touted light heavyweight contender, Walker had turned in notable wins over the likes of Khalil Rountree, Ryan Spann, Paul Craig, and former title challenger, Anthony Smith.
However, his apparent move to AKA to train with Nurmagomedov is likely going to ruffle some feathers given the Russian’s distinct history with Straight Blast Gym staple, Conor McGregor – who himself has trained with Walker at the Dublin facility in the past.
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 9, 2024, we’re taking a look at: Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal Fight Day Weigh-Ins Show Drastic Difference With the California State Athletic Commission looking to cut down on excessive weight cutting in combat sports, […]
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 9, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
Masvidal put on twice as many pounds as Diaz after making weight
Fans aren’t buying Walker’s dinosaur theory
Vakhitov says Pereira is defensively vulnerable
Nate Diaz & Jorge Masvidal Fight Day Weigh-Ins Show Drastic Difference
With the California State Athletic Commission looking to cut down on excessive weight cutting in combat sports, the fight nights weights for the recent Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal boxing match were released.
The most noteworthy result shows that Jorge Masvidal made a staggering near 30-pound gain between weighing in and showing up on fight night.
After hitting 175.2 pounds on Friday, he then weighed in at 204.1 pounds, which is a 16 percent increase in body weight.
Masvidal competed at both 155 and 170 pounds during his tenure in the UFC. By the time he stepped inside the ring this past weekend, he was closer to the light heavyweight mark.
Johnny Walker Receives Pushback After Posting Dinosaur Extinction Theory
It’s an understatement to call Brazil’s Johnny Walker one of the most unpredictable characters in MMA today.
He recently gathered some attention on social media after he responded to an Instagram post from MMA great Georges St-Pierre.
“GSP” shared a video about the dinosaurs and how they were made extinct and largely wiped off the face of the earth by an asteroid.
Walker, in the replies to the post, provided his own theory about how it wasn’t an asteroid that killed them off, but perhaps humans did it instead…
“Sorry champ but i am not sure about it anymore! I don’t believe that a asteroid extinguished the dinosaurs , it may be the men , take a look at some saints around the world like the flat of Russia that have a dragon and a guy that probably kill lots of it , and Brasil also have a saint , and lots of other cultures have history about some hero that killed a dragon = Dino ! I’m just saying, history always change and the winner of some war tells his side of the truth ! We never know the actually real truth”
It didn’t take too long before fans took notice of his comment and gave their sceptical reactions to his take.
The Last Man To Defeat Alex Pereira In Kickboxing Breaks Down His Weaknesses As A Striker
Alex Pereira has been on an incredible upwards trajectory since making the switch to MMA, but what some fight fans might not know is that he suffered a defeat in his final kickboxing fight.
After losing a split decision the first time around, Artem Vakhitov got the better of “Poatan” in the rematch before Pereira made the decision to leave Glory behind to really pursue MMA.
Vakhitov, who has also been trying his hand at MMA as of late, spoke in a recent interview with MMA Fighting about where he believes Pereira is vulnerable, having been one of the few to outstrike him.
He said that the UFC light heavyweight champion’s greatest strength is also his greatest weakness,but the issue many of his MMA opponents have is that they’re not confident enough to try and exploit it.
“His biggest weakness is that he is all attack, he has no defense,” Vakhitov said. “Because of his lack of defense, he is open to taking a lot of punches to the head if he’s facing a skilled striker. You saw that in his second fight with Adesanya. He got caught because he leaves a lot of openings for people who know what they are doing.
“These other guys haven’t done well against Alex because their striking isn’t at a high enough level. They aren’t confident against him and they think he’s unbeatable, so in their heart they are already defeated before the fight starts,” Vakhitov continued. “But I have beaten him before in pure striking competition, and I am sure I’ll do it again if we can get our trilogy match in the UFC.”
Saturday’s UFC on ABC 6 card was the UFC’s first on Saudi Arabian soil, and the promotion debuted in the country with some great matchups in some of the MMA’s…
Saturday’s UFC on ABC 6 card was the UFC’s first on Saudi Arabian soil, and the promotion debuted in the country with some great matchups in some of the MMA’s…
Brazilian light heavyweight contender, Johnny Walker has succumbed to strikes for the second time in as many fights tonight…
Brazilian light heavyweight contender, Johnny Walker has succumbed to strikes for the second time in as many fights tonight in the main card opener of UFC Saudi Arabia — dropping a first round KO defeat to former title challenger, Volkan Oezdemir in Riyadh.
Walker, the current number seven ranked light heavyweight challenger, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC Vegas 84 back in January, dropping a second round knockout loss to former title chaser, Magomed Ankalaev in the pair’s immediate rematch.
And dropping a stunning knockout loss to Switzerland striker, Oezdemir tonight in Saudi Arabia, perennial contender, Walker managed to survive an initial barrage against the Fribourg native — before he was then dropped for a second time at the fence, and then rendered unconscious with a slew of strikes at the fence.
Below, catch the highlights from Volkan Oezdemir’s win over Johnny Walker at UFC Saudi Arabia
Amid his continued losing skid, perennial light heavyweight contender, Johnny Walker appears to have switched his training allegiance from…
extinguished the dinosaurs 
, it may be the men , take a look at some saints around the world like the flat of Russia that have a dragon and a guy that probably kill lots of it , and Brasil also have a saint , and lots of other cultures have history about some hero that killed a dragon = Dino 
(@mmamarcuss) 
Brazilian light heavyweight contender, Johnny Walker has succumbed to strikes for the second time in as many fights tonight…
