Johnny Walker believes Magomed Ankalaev should have faced harsher punishment for the illegal knee to the face that ended their first meeting, ahead of a second showdown between the two light-heavyweight contenders at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas this weekend.
The first fight between the pair at UFC 294 in October was ruled a no contest after Ankalaev connected flush on the Brazilian’s jaw while one of his knees was on the ground.
The ringside doctor intervened to call the fight off, much to the disappointment of both fighters and crowd in Abu Dhabi at the time.
However, Walker said he is now thankful to the “smart decision” made by the medics to pull him from the fight.
Walker, speaking at his pre-fight press conference, said: “I think he [Ankalaev] got dispirited because I stand up and he was getting in trouble when I was standing up.
“He couldn’t wait for one second, I think he just landed the knee because he wanted to finish the fight and not let the guy back up and then he landed an illegal knee on my face. It was 100 per cent intentional because you never throw nothing without intention when you fight.
He added: “The doctor has to take a smart decision for you. I’m glad today because when I look back after the fight, one week after I feel my neck locked up, I feel my collar bone inflamed, so I received a big impact on my jaw. It’s like a car crash and if I [had] come back to the fight, I would be 100 per cent [at a] disadvantage.
“I’m not really happy because he should be punished more seriously because if you never punish somebody when they do something against the rules, they are going to keep doing it. And if you gonna fight without rules, take all of the rules out.”
Ankalaev had been enjoying the better of the first fight until the controversial incident and he claimed Walker used that moment to his advantage and get the fight called off.
“After that shot he was somebody that was actually trying to tell me that was an illegal blow, so he was conscious enough and in his mind enough to say ‘hey dude, that was illegal’,” said the Russian.
“And then when they stopped the fight all of a sudden he started playing this whole thing of like ‘oh I can’t fight anymore’ when I’m pretty sure that he was just basically trying to throw the fight because he seemed to be just fine.”
The fight headlines the first UFC card of 2024 and both have their eyes set on this being the year
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“I’m sure Ankalaev is the toughest guy now in the division so this fight is going to decide who is going to be the next champion – me,” added Walker, who insisted he will have no trouble keeping his cool as he seeks revenge.
“It’s very simple, it’s just something I do. I control my feelings, I don’t let it affect me. I feel nothing, I am like a machine, I am a professional. I do my best and don’t let it affect me.”
Ankalaev previously had a shot at the title when his bout with Jan Błachowicz was declared a draw in a controversial split decision in 2022.
The 31-year-old has lost just once in his 20 professional UFC fights.
Ankalaev added: “2024 is my year and by the end of the year people will see the belt around my waist.”
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