Walker Volunteers as Backup for Gane vs. Hokit at UFC 334

Johnny Walker is ready to be the emergency replacement for the Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit heavyweight title fight at UFC 334. He made the offer after knocking out Waldo Cortes-Acosta.

Why he is confident at heavyweight

Walker is 2-0 at heavyweight, and both wins came by knockout with a bonus attached. Sergei Pavlovich, Alexander Volkov and Curtis Blaydes all beat Cortes-Acosta in the UFC without stopping him. Walker ended it in round three.

Nobody had finished Cortes-Acosta in MMA before. Walker says he knew it would be tough, because the man had never been knocked out. He found the punches heavy but not explosive. A fighter with true knockout power, in his words, would have put him on the floor cold.

Short notice and a swollen face

The main event of UFC Vegas 124 on Nov. 7 came together on eight days' notice, after Sean Brady vs. Gabriel Bonfim was cancelled. Walker and Cortes-Acosta stepped in. The fight took place at the Meta APEX.

Walker was not at full training for it, and he says it showed what he can do. He reports no injuries, only swelling from the punches he took.

His read on Hokit

Gane is the champion after a June knockout of Alex Pereira. Hokit got his title shot by stopping Derrick Lewis the same night at UFC White House.

Walker believes Hokit's best route is wrestling, since he rates Gane far ahead as a striker. He is less impressed with the rest of Hokit's game and considers his jiu-jitsu and striking unremarkable. He also calls Hokit light for the division.

If the backup spot goes nowhere

Walker would prefer a return around February or March 2027. He wants one more win and then a title fight. Hokit appeals to him as an opponent, especially if Hokit loses the title fight.

A title offer would change the timing. He says he would take a title fight next week anyway.

The logistics

Walker lives in Las Vegas and trains at Porrada Training Center. UFC 334 is at Madison Square Garden in New York. He is open to making the trip "if [the UFC] pays for my flight."

"If they need someone to step in, I'm here," Walker said to MMA Fighting.

Source: MMA Fighting