Volkan Oezdemir’s power can knock anyone out. As such, it was on full display once again on Saturday at UFC on ABC 6 as he knocked out Johnny Walker. The duo opened up the inaugural card at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It also marks the first true knockout in the new gloves era.
Johnny Walker often keeps lofty aspirations going into a bout. But it’s the wobbly chin that always disappoints! The 32-year-old strode in a semi-survival mode for much of the opening minute. While the striker from Team SBG Ireland had some good kicks and range checks, Oezdemir just came out better.
Volkan Oezdemir answered with some kick-heavy approach himself. Meanwhile, Walker was prone to backing up and countering the former light heavyweight title challenger. After a few nice combo connects for Oezdemir, it looked like it stunned Walker. Soon, he went wobbling down once again in prime “Walker fashion.”
A left-right combo folded the fighter clean off his midriff. A massive follow-up shot thus ended the fight via knockout (punches) – Round 1, at the 2:28 mark. Walker, already prone to animated wobbles, went viral quickly. More so, because this marks the first actual KO with the UFC Official fight gloves! The matter has garnered quite a few responses.
Fans react to yet another cartoonish KO of Johnny Walker and first new glove knockout
Johnny Walker (21-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC) remains one of the most likable guys on the active roster. However, he is always on the wrong end of knockouts in his outings. Again, and again, and again. Walker’s second-round wobble and stoppage from Magomed Ankalaev in January was the end of a three-fight winning streak. Albeit aside from a no-contest with Ankalaev last October.
Fans react to first clean knockout and another Johnny Walker flub at UFC on ABC 6 (Source: UFC News (@UFCNews) / X/ es.agfight.com)However, it’s his recent first-round KO at the hands of Volkan Oezdemir at UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov that has the attention of fans now. This is because the fighter marks the first case of an actual knockout loss after a dreary streak of seven technical ones. The UFC Official Fight Glove Variants – “3Eight” and “5Eight” had promised streamlined conformity and more knockout chances. Now that it has come to pass, here’s what fans think of it:
Not even these UFC gloves could save Johnny Walker’s chin
— Super Fan🇮🇪 (@McGregorRousey2) June 22, 2024
Johnny Walker ragdolls like a UFC 5 fighter every time he gets knocked out and it never gets old #UFCSaudiArabia
— The Filthy Casual (@MMAfilthycasual) June 22, 2024
HOLY FUCK OEZDEMIR! PUTS WALKER TO SLEEP IN ROUND ONE! I WAS ABOUT TO SAY CHANGE BACK THE GLOVES FOR A SECOND CAUSE WALKER ATE A FEW.
BUT FUCK WALKER WHY HAS IT ALWAYS GOTTA BE BRUTAL LOOKING AND OUT COLD #UFCSaudiArabia
— THE MMA GURU (@THATBOYMMAGURU) June 22, 2024
ANOTHER LOONEY TUNES ASS KNOCKOUT. HOW DOES HE DO IT
— Super Fan🇮🇪 (@McGregorRousey2) June 22, 2024
A prime reaction (@McGregorRousey2) noted, “Another Looney Tunes a** knockout. How does he do it?” Consequently, the fight gloves have also blatantly caught on strays. With some fans jibing that even the notorious KO-less gloves could not save Walker from a KO!
A few others have also notably jeered at his ragdoll mechanics of having the weirdest wobbly knockdowns leading to losses. The Team Allstars Training Center fighter has garnered praise for his output as well. All in all, the matter has gone quite viral.
