By Cole Shelton
– January 15, 2024
In the main event of UFC Vegas 84, top 10 light heavyweights collided as Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker had their rematch.
Ankalaev and Walker had first fought back in October at UFC 294, and the fight ended in a No Contest due to the Dagestani native landing an illegal knee in the first round. Before that, Ankalaev was coming off a draw to Jan Blachowicz for the vacant light heavyweight title. Walker, meanwhile, was on a three-fight winning streak before the NC against Ankalaev.
Ultimately, it was Ankalaev who got his hand raised as he scored a second-round knockout win over Walker. Now, following UFC Vegas 84, here is what I think should be next for both fighters involved in the main event.
Magomed Ankalaev
Magomed Ankalaev returned to the win column with a second-round knockout over Johnny Walker after back-to-back fights that had some controversy. Before the NC against Walker and the draw against Blachowicz, Ankalaev was on a nine-fight winning streak and was likely a win away from a title shot.
With Ankalaev getting the knockout win at UFC Vegas 84, the Dagestani native should be facing Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title next time out. He also called out Pereira after the win on Saturday night.
“Now, for Glover Teixeira, I have a message. Don’t waste your time trying to teach your student how to wrestle or grapple, he’s not going to need it. I’m going to come out there, I’m going to stand across from him, and I know that he’s been knocked out before as a middleweight so imagine what’s going to happen if I meet him in light heavyweight. Trust me, he’s not going to feel comfortable there,” Ankalaev said after the event.
Pereira does not have his first title defense booked, and Ankalaev didn’t take much damage so the two can fight in June or July in a pay-per-view main event.
Johnny Walker
Johnny Walker fell short in a step-up in competition once again. Walker has now lost to Ankalaev, Jamahal Hill, Corey Anderson, Nikita Krylov, and Thiago Santos who were all viewed as step-ups in competitions for him.
Following the loss to Ankalaev, Walker is back to the drawing board and will likely need to fight someone behind him next time out. Walker is still a fan-favorite and someone who has an exciting style and a matchup that makes sense is to face Volkan Oezdemir, assuming the timing works out as Oezdemir still can’t fight in the States. If the timing for an event doesn’t end up working out, a fight against Alonzo Menifield would be the next logical matchup.
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