Johnny Walker admits he had a game plan going into his fight against Waldo Cortes-Acosta but that eventually went out the window to help him score a dramatic third-round knockout at UFC Vegas 124.
While he employed a nasty series of leg kicks and a strong jab, Walker revealed after his second win as a heavyweight that his finish against Cortes-Acosta really was just him throwing caution to the wind. The knockout came after Walker wobbled Cortes-Acosta on the feet and then he unloaded a devastating
punch that put his opponent down and out without any chance to recover.
“This is not technique,” Walker said about his finish on the UFC Vegas 124 post-fight show. “This is street fight shit. You don’t have this punch in boxing He didn’t know how I punch him, because this is not technique. Surprise motherf*cker!”
It appeared Walker was slowing down just before he delivered the finish, but he proved heavyweight really is the right division for him after such an emphatic knockout.
While this fight came together on just a week’s notice, Walker admits he’s feeling much better as a heavyweight and expects this to serve as his permanent home moving forward.
“I feel more energized,” Walker said. “I can train better. My brain is more healthy to get information. What I train, I really absorb and get better. I’m not eating that much. I’m not a heavy heavyweight. I have more cardio.
“I’m 240, 245 [pounds], normal, my natural weight. I cut 40 pounds being lean. I killed myself at light heavyweight. Now I feel I can train better I have more power. I can take more punches.”
Walker also admitted he was absolutely testing his ability to take punches as a heavyweight during some of his exchanges with Cortes-Acosta, although don’t expect him to do that again.
“No, I was there checking my chin,” Walker said. “OK, no more I said f*ck that’s enough and then I finished him.”
Now 2-0 as a heavyweight, Walker has immediately inserted himself into the top 10 rankings with this latest win and he serves as a serious threat to the rest of the division.
That said, Walker isn’t lamenting that he waited too long to make this move after spending the majority of his UFC career at 205 pounds.
“No, because I got experience,” Walker said about his time at light heavyweight. “I got wins and losses and experience, but I don’t want to go back in time and do everything again. Because what I’ve been through made me into who I am today.
“So I’m happy with my career at light heavyweight. Now I’m going to do a new career at heavyweight.”
