It’s finally time for the Main Event of UFC Vegas 84 as we’ll bring you our prediction and pick for this rematch taking place in the Light Heavyweight (205) Division. No. 3-ranked Magomed Ankalaev will take on No. 7-ranked Johnny Walker as the two meet again for this headliner following their ‘No Contest’ last fight. Check out our UFC odds series for our Ankalaev-Walker prediction and pick.
Magomed Ankalaev (18-1-1) has gone 9-1-1-1 in his UFC career en route to becoming a Light Heavyweight Championship contender. His last two fights have ended in strange decisions as he fought Jan Blachowicz to a draw and accidentally kneed Walker in the head for a ‘No Contest’ in his last bout. It’s put a wrench in the gears of his title aspirations and he’ll be looking for a definitive result in this one. Ankalaev stands 6’3″ with a 75-inch reach.
Johnny Walker (21-7) has gone 7-4-0-1 in his UFC career dating back to 2018. He’s an original product of Dana White’s Contender Series and he’s been on a tear, winning three consecutive bouts heading into his last fight. He was visibly compromised after the illegal knee in his last fight, so he’s hoping to have a better performance and see a better result this time around. Walker stands 6’6″ with an 82-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 84 Odds: Magomed Ankalaev-Johnny Walker Odds
Magomed Ankalaev: -550
Johnny Walker: +410
Over 1.5 rounds: -175
Under 1.5 rounds: +130
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Why Magomed Ankalaev Will Win
Magomed Ankalaev is still firmly seated as one of the top contenders in the Light Heavyweight Division, but he can’t seem to get out of his own way with his recent performances. Against Jan Blachowicz, he failed to check any leg kicks and the serious damage to his shin was ultimately what decided the fight. He was performing well his last time out, but a crucial mental mistake forced the fight to be called. Evidently, the fight should have been ruled a Disqualification for Ankalaev, but it was ruled that his knee was inadvertent, prompting the ‘No contest’ decision. If he fights the same way this time around, he should see some success in walking Walker down and initiating the grappling when it’s open.
Magomed Ankalaev will have to cut down on his mental mistakes and fight a clean fight to have success here. Johnny Walker might be one of the wildest fighters we’ve ever seen and something strange is bound the happen whenever he’s in the octagon. It’ll be up to Ankalaev to limit the noise and focus on what he’s best at – working in space and leading with his stiff jab down the middle. While Walker is dangerous with his submissions from the bottom, we’ve seen Ankalaev be very dominant in top position and he won’t be looking to relinquish it if he finds it early in the fight.
Why Johnny Walker Will Win
After getting rocked with an illegal knee to the head in his last fight, Johnny Walker appeared to be O.K. in the corner as the fight doctor took a look at him. After a short discussion, the doctor asked Walker a series of questions, to which Walker didn’t answer to the liking of the doctor. Walker claims he was fine and attributes the language barrier to the break in communication between him and the doctor. Still, only he knows how hurt he was in that moment and we’re hoping he can have a cleaner fight this time around. Until the knee came, Walker was in a bad position along the fence and was certainly losing the fight. He’ll need to have a better start and focus on staying in striking range through the first round.
To have success against Ankalaev, Walker will have to realize he’s in a five-round fight and he has no need to rush through the opening stages. While he’ll need to start fast and stay focused, we’ve seen Ankalaev’s output waver in the later rounds of fights. If Walker can keep himself fresh and empty the tank in rounds four and five, he could have a chance to overwhelm a tired opponent as the fight draws to a close. Walker was too content in giving up his back during the last fight, so he should look to stay defensive and only grapple when he needs to. We saw how big he looked against Ankalaev in the first meeting, so he would benefit greatly from using his size and reach to create space between him and the opponent.
Final Magomed Ankalaev-Johnny Walker Prediction & Pick
This is a rightful rematch and we’re hoping the two fighters can give us a more definitive result this time around. Magomed Ankalaev is the rightful favorite as he was controlling most of the first fight between the two. He quickly adjusted by checking Walker’s leg kicks and remained calm through his antics. If he can fit with the same cool-head and avoid any mistakes, he should be able to get this win.
This is a Johnny Walker fight so anything can happen. Rather than playing a side, I expect these two fighters to be much more cautious as they approach each other for a second time. We’ll side with Ankalaev as the more skilled fighter, but give us the over as we see this one hitting at least the third round.
Final Magomed Ankalaev-Johnny Walker Prediction & Pick: Magomed Ankalaev (-550); OVER 1.5 Rounds (-175)