After months of anticipation, Johnny Walker and Magomed Ankalaev squared off in their highly anticipated rematch at UFC Vegas 84. The bout had major implications in a now crowded 205-pound division, with the winner seemingly being next for champion Alex Pereira.
Their first matchup was cut short back in October following an unintentional, but illegal knee and a controversial stoppage by the referee. The stoppage caused tensions in the cage to rise and the two men nearly broke out in a brawl following the ruling. With such an unsatisfying ending for both last time out, vengeance was on the mind for both who felt they were wronged last time out.
After a fast start to the opening round, the fight settled down and became a kickboxing-based affair. Both men were comfortable exchanging shots at range, which started to favor the Russian as the fight went on. Round two saw Ankalaev start to really take over with his kicks and distance management. Walker was struggling to find the range and land effective damage on his opponent. He employed a leg kick-heavy strategy, which ultimately caused his downfall in this fight.
After leaning in with a naked leg kick, the Brazilian was caught in an awkward position and paid the price. As Walker backed away, Ankalaev unleashed a massive right hand that sent Walker flying into the cage. His head bounced off the fence and Ankalaev pounced, landing another right hand while Walker was sitting against the cage. Walker immediately grabbed his nose in pain and the ref stepped in to wave it off.
The win came at 2:42 of round two and gave Ankalaev a much-needed win following a draw and no-contest in his prior two. With the win, Ankalaev now holds a 12-fight unbeaten streak in the UFC, the fourth longest in the promotion behind three champions (Jon Jones, Leon Edwards, Islam Makhachev).
In his post-fight interview, Ankalaev affirmed his belief that the fight was a title eliminator, where he called for his shot at champion Alex Pereira.
UFC Fighters React to Magomed Ankalaev Securing
A lot of UFC fighters (especially the big boys) had something to say following the massive win for Magomed Ankalaev:
Do you want to see Magomed Ankalaev challenge Alex Pereira for the belt next? Could that be the main event of UFC 300? Let us know in the comments below!
Featured Image Credit to Embed from Getty Images
