Top 10-ranked
Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight contenders
Magomed
Ankalaev and
Johnny
Walker will lock horns in the
UFC Fight Night 234 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in
Las Vegas. Their rematch takes place nearly three months after
their ill-fated first encounter.
Ankalaev and Walker fought to a no contest at UFC 294 on Oct. 21.
The controversial finish resulted from an illegal knee strike by
Ankalaev that led the cageside doctor to call for the stoppage 3:13
into the first round. Their main event assignment grants both men
the opportunity at a conclusive ending to this chapter of their
respective careers.
As the second battle between Ankalaev and Walker draws near, a look
at some of the numbers that have accompanied them to this
point:
9: Ankalaev boasts the second-longest winning streak in UFC light
heavyweight division history, behind
Jon Jones
(13). From September 2018 to July 2022, the Dagestani fighter
accumulated an impressive nine consecutive victories, defeating
notable names such as
Anthony
Smith,
Thiago
Santos and
Volkan
Oezdemir in the process. The undefeated run featured five
victories by knockout or technical knockout.
11: Ankalaev further lays claim to the second-longest undefeated
streak in the history of the UFC light heavyweight division.
Despite his last two outings against
Jan
Blachowicz and
Johnny
Walker ending in a split draw and a no contest, respectively,
the 31-year-old has not lost a fight since March 2018, when he
succumbed to a submission loss against
Paul
Craig.
3: Ankalaev stands as the only light heavyweight in promotional
history to record multiple knockout victories through kicks. His
impressive tally includes three triumphs executed via head kicks
against
Marcin
Prachnio,
Dalcha
Lungiambula and
Ion
Cutelaba.
45: Percent finishing rate for Ankalaev across his 20 professional
mixed martial arts bouts.
19: Walker has amassed an impressive finishing record, with 19 out
of his 21 career triumphs culminating in stoppages. He holds 16
knockout victories and three submissions to his credit.
6: Walker has solidified six of his seven UFC triumphs through
first-round knockouts—a remarkable feat that includes notable
victories against seasoned opponents such as
Khalil
Rountree,
Paul Craig
and
Ryan
Spann.
17: Walker consistently exhibits an explosive fighting style,
substantiated by the fact that he has secured 17 first-round
finishes in his career.
65.2: Percent finishing rate for Walker in his 29 pro MMA bouts.