Johnny Walker defends former rival as next challenger to Alex Poatan's title

Alex Poatan is the current UFC light heavyweight champion / UFC Reproduction

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Recently, Alex Poatan sparked controversy by posting a message on social media that raised doubts about who his next UFC opponent would be. The light heavyweight champion (up to 93 kg) implied that his next challenge might not be against Magomed Ankalaev , which divided opinions, since the Russian occupies the top position in the category's ranking.

Currently ranked ninth, Johnny Walker gave his opinion on who should be Poatan's next opponent. In an interview with the YouTube channel The Schmo, Walker stated that Ankalaev deserves the next title shot. The Brazilian, who has already faced the Russian twice, highlighted the difficulty of facing him and reinforced the challenger's high technical level.

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“I think he (Poatan) should fight Ankalaev next. I fought Ankalaev twice, nobody wants to fight him, and I’ll probably fight him again soon. But I think he’s the number one contender right now,” Walker said.

Johnny Walker evaluates fights against Ankalaev and praises his rival's high level

With one loss and one no-contest on his record against Magomed Ankalaev , Johnny Walker knows his opponent well. The Brazilian believes he had the upper hand in the fight until he made a mistake that allowed the Russian to turn the tide. Walker also highlighted Ankalaev's ability to adjust his strategy and capitalize on opportunities.

“It’s not that difficult. I was beating him the last two times. I won the first round, but this guy is top-level and if you make a mistake, he’ll finish you. I beat him in the first round, but in the second, I let him put a little pressure on me. He just adjusted the distance and hit me. And that’s it. I’m happy because I’m among the best,” concluded Johnny Walker.

With four wins and six losses in his last ten fights, Johnny Walker is preparing to return to the octagon at UFC 311. The Brazilian will face Uzbek Bogdan Guskov , currently ranked 14th in the light heavyweight division, in a fight scheduled for January 18th.

Johnny Walker opens up about his heavyweight debut at UFC 332.