Johnny Walker faces one-time title challenger Dominick Reyes in a crucial bout in the UFC light heavyweight division on the main card portion of UFC 327 this Saturday in Miami, and there’s a chance his next bout is in a different weight class.
Confident in his return to action eight months after a second-round upset over Zhang Mingyang in Shanghai, where he knocked out the Chinese prospect in enemy territory, Walker revealed he’s tired of feeling “depleted” by the cut to 205 pounds and could soon
go to heavyweight.
“I’m thinking about it because the diet has been rough,” Walker told MMA Fighting. “If there’s an opportunity, if a heavyweight fight gets cancelled or anything, I’m in.”
Walker now lives and trains in Las Vegas, working alongside former UFC champions Sean Strickland and Francis Ngannou, and feels that his size and skills would do just fine at heavyweight after sharing the cage with “The Predator” in the gym.
“I’ve been training with Francis Ngannou, sparring with him,” Walker said. “Even while dieting, with about a 44-pound difference since I’m much lighter now, I’ve been able to train with him just fine. Even in wrestling, strength, and ground-and-pound. If I can do that while dieting, imagine without it?”
Walker won eight of 15 UFC bouts as a light heavyweight, piling up a list of wins that includes past title challengers Khalil Rountree Jr. and Anthony Smith, and feels that his performance is somewhat limited after forcing his body down to 205 pounds on the week of the fight.
“It’d be way better [at heavyweight] because on a diet I can’t train properly,” Walker said. “I get dizzy, low on energy because of the lack of carbs. I can’t wait to move up and be able to train at 100 percent, even close to the fight. When a heavyweight is fighting on the same card as me and I see them training during fight week, doing all kinds of stuff, and I’m there depleted, no energy, it’s tough. But… I’m going to move up. It won’t take long.”
“I have more experience now,” he added, explaining why he’s finally ready for the move. “I’m better technically, and physically, too. I’m reaching my prime. This weight cut doesn’t make any difference to me anymore. Francis has to cut to make 265, he walks around heavier than that, and I trained with him, sparred with him and everything, even while dieting. And the guy is elite, a former world champion. I did two five-minute rounds with Sean Strickland, a former champion, and then one with Francis, also a former champion. It was smooth. I didn’t feel much difference in strength. It’s a very real possibility. I’ll try to fight in both divisions. Whatever comes up, I’ll take it. I just want to fight.”
Walker said his next bout could already be at heavyweight “if it’s an interesting” offer, but still wants to chase the 205-pound belt. Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg face off for the vacant throne on the same night Walker battles Reyes in Miami.
“Depending on what fight they offer me next, if everything goes right, I’ll still have two or three more fights at 205,” Walker said. “But I’m definitely very close to moving up to heavyweight as well.”
Reyes was on a roll in the UFC with consecutive victories over Dustin Jacoby, Anthony Smith and Nikita Krylov, but suffered a first-round knockout against Ulberg this past September. Walker said he will use “controlled violence” to beat Reyes at UFC 327.
“He’s a very experienced, tough guy,” Walker said. “He fought Jon Jones and, in my opinion, he beat Jones. And I’m ready. It’s going to be a great test for me. If I get past him, it’ll show I can fight in the top 5, top 2. One or two more fights and it’s a title shot, you know? If it were up to me, I’d already be fighting for the belt right after this win. Everyone’s gotten their opportunity. Khalil Rountree was No. 8 and fought for the belt, you know? The key is how I finish this fight. Depending on my performance, it could give me a lot of momentum.”
