Johnny Walker confident he’s ready for title challenge with UFC Charlotte win over Anthony Smith: ‘100 percent’
Ahead of his Octagon return this weekend on the main card of UFC Fight Night Charlotte, Brazilian light heavyweight contender, Johnny Walker claims he’s “100 percent” ready for his first shot at divisional gold during his tenure with the UFC.
Walker, a product of Dana White’s Contender Series, is slated to return to the Octagon for the second time this year, co-headlining UFC on ABC 4 in a matchup against one-time title challenger and perennial contender, Anthony Smith.
Johnny Walker rides a two-fight winning run into his UFC return this weekend
Last time out on home soil in Rio de Janiero at UFC 283 in Brazil at the beginning of this year, Johnny Walker, the current #7 ranked division contender turned in his second consecutive victory with a first round elbow strikes stoppage of Paul Craig.
Back in September of last year at UFC 279, Walker turned in the first submission triumph of his Octagon run, stopping Ion Cutelaba with an opening round rear-naked choke.
And ahead of his high-profile co-headliner with Smith this weekend in North Carolina, Straight Blast Gym Ireland staple, Walker claimed he was “ready” to challenge for light heavyweight gold off the back of a sought-after win against Smith.
“One hundred percent, I’m ready, but I’m going to keep training every day, and I’m going to develop my skills,” Johnny Walker told assembled media at UFC Charlotte media day on Wednesday. “You can get better every time you train, every camp you train, but depending on the performance that I’m going to put on, it’s going to tell me and everybody else if I’m ready or not.”
Currently, the light heavyweight pack is led by fellow Dana White’s Contender Series product, Jamahal Hill, with the Illinois native capturing gold on the same card as Walker’s stoppage of Craig – landing the vacant light heavyweight crown with a unanimous decision win over the former’s compatriot, former champion, Glover Teixeira.
