Fight Preview
Johnny Walker and Magomed Ankalaev both rank within the top seven in their weight classes, but only one will emerge victorious from Saturday night’s battle at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Magomed Ankalaev of Russia hopes to return to title contention following a disappointing draw with Jan Blachowicz last December. At 31 years old, Ankalaev boasts excellent striking skills with an understanding of distance that allows him to pick off opponents from long range while using speed to evade counterpunches that come his way. While fighting out of a southpaw stance initially, Ankalaev prefers switching to an orthodox position if their opponent switches stance.
Ankalaev is an accomplished boxer with powerful hooks and leg kicks, making him capable of finishing fights from all over the octagon. However, his greatest success has come on the front foot; four out of his five Octagon victories have come via first round finishes. Unfortunately, Ankalaev faces Johnny Walker who excels at getting into reach and unleashing powerful punches against opponents who seek him out.
Johnny Walker is an impressive athlete to witness live. With an 82″ reach and measuring 6 ‘6″, it appears he could leap over the octagon cage if desired. After losing his UFC debut to Ion Cutelaba and Paul Craig respectively, Walker has since shown impressive jiu-jitsu improvement as well as having an effective top game grappler with which to take on other fighters.
Ankalaev may be superior in striking power, but Walker has shown incredible ability to absorb blows and turn them into opportunities to score submissions. Deflecting 59% of significant strikes directed towards him has helped him win eight out of nine Octagon bouts and could well win this fight too if things start going in his favor.
On paper, this seems like a promising matchup; however, both competitors are tough competitors with little room for error.
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Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker Fight Information
- Date: 10/21/2023
- Time: 03:00 PM ET
- Location: Etihad Arena.
- How to Watch Ankalaev vs Walker: ESPN+
- Live Stream: BT Sport.com
