LAS VEGAS – Training under a coach whose mantra has long been “win or learn,” Johnny Walker says he’s had enough lessons as of late.
Walker fought most recently in October, suffering a decision loss in his first UFC headliner, coming up short against Thiago “Marreta” Santos. Still, he said going 25 minutes with his fellow countryman proved valuable.
“Every fight, you don’t lose – you win or learn, right?” Walker asked at Wednesday’s media day at the UFC Apex. “I learned a lot. It was a good experience. I fought five rounds. I felt five rounds, and now I understand more of my body. I know I can push. I know what I can do.
“I was not really happy with the result, but I’m happy with the experience, you know, and it’s good.”
Walker was relatively flat in the later rounds of his recent loss, leading to some speculation that his relocation to SBG Ireland might have changed his fighting style, which was previously known as one of the flashiest in the game. But Walker explained that wasn’t the case.
“The gameplan was good,” Walker said. “I was doing good, but I didn’t tell my coach, John Kavanagh, that I broke my foot in the third round. Because I kicked, then it broke, then I kicked again, and I can’t kick anymore. Then I forgot to tell him, and he thought, I wanted to keep doing what I was doing because probably I was going to win by points, but I couldn’t kick anymore. I couldn’t move much more.
“But no, he didn’t ask me to change my style. They just want me to improve myself, and they asked me to be myself more and be more unpredictable and go more forward but safe. I’m improving my game every day – chin down, all my defense, takedown defense, everything, so it’s all good.”
Walker (18-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC) gets another shot in a headlining role at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 201, which streams live on ESPN+ from the UFC Apex. There, he’ll take on another highly-touted prospect in Jamahal Hill (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC).
“Sweet Dreams” is a little earlier in his UFC run than Walker, but the Brazilian points out he’s actually the younger man, even though he boasts the experience edge.
“I’m younger than him,” Walker said. “I’m the veteran with experience, but I’m 29, and he’s 30, and yeah, it’s a good match. I like his style, and it’s going to be fun.”
While Hill did recently suffer his first professional loss, he also rebounded with a spectacular knockout in his most recent outing and seems to have more buzz around him at the moment than Walker, who has certainly shown great abilities but also has suffered a few setbacks as of late. But Walker isn’t overly concerned with anything specific in Hill’s game.
“Everybody in the top 10 has knockout power, has knowledge enough to hurt you, to knock you out, so he’s a good fighter,” Walker said. “I just have to get ready and have fun.”
Having fun generally isn’t an issue for Walker, whose trademark style includes plenty of singing and dancing and smiling along with a rather unpredictable variety of attacks in the cage.
But Walker knows it takes positive results to stay at the highest level of the sport, and he’s ready to have his hand raised on Saturday night.
“I learned so much,” Walker said. “I’m going to win.”
To see the full interview with Walker, check out the video above.
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