Johnny Walker is eyeing a rematch with UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill before leaving the division for the heavyweight class.
Top ten-ranked UFC 205-pound contender Walker was last seen in action against Paul Craig at UFC 283 earlier this year. Walker came out firing and handily dispatched Craig in the opening round by TKO. With the impressive victory, Walker’s currently on a two-fight win streak as he goes into the next scheduled bout with former title challenger Anthony Smith, set for UFC on ABC 4 next month.
Johnny Walker wants a rematch with Jamahal Hill
In an exclusive interview with Middle Easy, Johnny Walker shared his thoughts on Jamahal Hill taking the light heavyweight throne over Glover Teixeira. Hill finished Walker with a brutal first-round knockout when the two clashed in Feb. 2022 at UFC Fight Night 201. Now that Hill holds the gold, Walker targets an opportunity to get a second chance.
“His performance over Glover was good. He’s the champion alright. It just makes me more excited to get my rematch soon.”
Walker is confident in his preparations and believes he could make a statement against Smith to assert his place in the mix of title contention.
“I don’t like to let nobody else decide the fight for me. I spend a lot of time, a lot of investment, hard work, dietitian. My birthday was 3rd March. I’m 31 years old now and I had a little piece of cake. Not much fun. No drinking no partying, no missing any nights of sleep. It’s a lot of commitment. I’m not going to let the referee decide for me. I’m going to f**king decide this fight. I’m going to finish him. I’m going to do my best and I am doing it. If I do my best now, whatever outcome comes from the fight I’ll accept. I deserve the win and am going to push myself and do whatever it takes to get the win.”
Walker teases move to heavyweight
The 31-year-old opened up on the difficulties with maintaining a strict diet to make the light heavyweight limit.
“I started cutting weight one month and a half ago. I’m like 110, 112 kilos when off. I’m very heavy. I have to control my diet. I have to be under certain calories, if not, I gain muscle really easily and put on weight easy as well. So just to control it. I have a very good metabolism. I burn quickly as well but if I don’t control my calories, I get really strong and heavy.
“It’s just cutting out the cakes, extra desserts. I’ve been on the diet for the last month and a few more weeks to go. Now I have 11 more kilos to go so it’s not that hard.”
Once he has achieved his goal at 205-lb, Walker would like to move up to the heavyweight division.
“A 100 percent. I think I’m getting stronger every year. I just hit my prime now. I always say my prime will be 32-35 or something. Every year, every cut, I’m getting stronger and heavier. It’s getting a little bit harder. I’m very big. I’m the biggest in the light heavyweight division, taller and probably stronger as well. It’s getting hard but I can keep pushing till I get my goals in the division. Then, of course, I’m going to move up.”
Johnny Walker will collide with Anthony Smith in the co-main event of UFC on ABC 4 on May 13 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
