Johnny Walker’s return to action at UFC Vegas 48 didn’t go according to the plan as the Brazilian light heavyweight was knocked out in the first round by Jamahal Hill (watch the finish here).
The bookies certainly saw it coming — Walker was a +240 dog to Hill’s -300 favorite, pretty wide odds for a UFC main event. But we were still shocked at just how quickly Walker fell, literally. “Sweet Dreams” lived up to his nickname, sending Walker to the canvas like a felled tree just three minutes into the first round.
It took a while for Walker to recover as well. The quick KO and scary aftermath was enough to make us question whether Johnny is hurting himself cutting down to 205. Or maybe he’s just chinny at this point? I guess we’ll find out because Walker has taken to social media to declare he’ll be getting right back on the horse after this latest disappointing result.
“I’m fine, let’s move on to the next one,” he wrote in Portuguese on Instagram. “Thank you all for the support I love you, this and the sport, one wins the other loses, but I never give up.”
In the video provided, a bloody Walker hugged a female companion while Straight Blast Gym coach John Kavanagh munched on a slice of pizza and held up a bottle of Proper 12 whiskey.
Walker arrived in the UFC with a 13-3 record to earn a spot on the roster via Dana White’s contender series. From there he won his first three fights via highlight reel KO. A shoulder injury suffered while doing the worm was the start of a bad luck run, though, as Walker went 1-2 in his next three fights. This latest defeat to Hill is his second in a row.