Johnny Walker, who efficiently stopped the Zhang Mingyang hype practice Saturday in enemy territory, mentioned there was no foul play early within the UFC Shanghai primary occasion.
Walker, who damage Mingyang with a devastating calf kick in spherical two earlier than a barrage of punches compelled the referee to finish the match, advised MMA Preventing he wasn’t faking a glove contact earlier than a takedown try two seconds into the competition.
“We had been training that on a regular basis,” Walker mentioned of the early takedown. “In truth, I didn’t pretend something. I went there with my hand up as a result of we had already touched gloves earlier than the battle began. Contact gloves, each again to their nook, and I wasn’t even his face anymore. I went there with my hand hanging and shot for a takedown. I didn’t go there to the touch gloves.”
Walker shaved his mustache hours earlier than heading to the world, leaving solely a beard that resembled Khamzat Chimaev’s look. Chimaev, too, instantly went for a takedown seconds into his UFC middleweight title bout with Dricus Du Plessis earlier this month.
That beard, Walker mentioned, was a sign that his plan was to work on his wrestling at UFC Shanghai.
“[Mingyang] was robust, he was coming off quite a lot of wins, catching everyone within the first spherical,” Walker mentioned. “He was actually robust, very technical and difficult on the ft. I wished to take him down, do this sport, however I shot an unsightly takedown try, my head on the surface. He simply moved to the facet and I went by means of like a cow, then I pulled guard. I held him, defended just a little bit, and went again to the ft once more.”
“I’ve good wrestling, good jiu-jitsu, however I haven’t fought shortly,” he continued. “I had no timing both, however you’ll see me wrestle extra going ahead, doing extra jiu-jitsu, taking individuals down. I’ve some takedowns, however I actually had no timing. However I’m again now.”
Mingyang was touchdown the higher strikes in spherical one, however Walker hung tight. The Brazilian veteran admits, nonetheless, that he feared for the worst.
“I assumed to myself there, ’F*ck! If I take one other one, it’s over,’” Walker mentioned. “Circle, circle. Three or 4 seconds later I used to be recovered, I noticed I used to be alright once more. I recuperate in a short time. But when he got here like loopy he may additionally get caught as a result of I used to be conscious of all the pieces. … I bought hit with some clear photographs and didn’t go for all or nothing, wasn’t cornered or any of that. I’d circle to the proper facet to breathe and recuperate. The punch landed and I’d really feel [dizzy]. Like, it wasn’t a knockdown, however the punch landed. I used to be very affected person and mature in my technique.”
Walker discovered ‘the trail’ to victory within the first half of the second spherical, connecting a calf kick that compelled Mingyang to retreat. Walker instantly landed one other kick to the identical spot, dropping Mingyang to the bottom.
“He switched stances and I noticed on his face that he felt it,” Walker mentioned. “He should have damaged a bone once I kicked, and I kicked there once more. ‘That’s the trail.’ I punched him so many instances, brother, and he wouldn’t exit. A chin that large is pure muscle, I don’t know. I punched him, I elbowed him, hammerfists, and the referee wouldn’t cease the battle. And I saved hitting and hitting. Robust man, brother. He was below me getting hit, however making an attempt to get again up, resisting. I couldn’t knock him out [cold]. It was a tough battle, however thank God I gained.”
Talking on the published’s post-fight present, Walker screamed “I’ve chin, motherf*ckers.” That, he mentioned, was a message to the haters that criticize his capacity to take a success.
“I mentioned that as a result of everyone’s like, ‘Oh, he has a glass chin,’” Walker mentioned. “These talkers that had been by no means punched within the face. They don’t perceive we now have a life dedication with our careers. Our households rely on us. We practice day-after-day. It’s an funding for all times right here, and a few followers discuss a ton of crap [without] ever getting punched within the face. As an alternative of giving us help, as a result of we deserve it. That is exhausting work, you already know that.
“However these bums come discuss crap at us once we get knocked out. We’re preventing the most effective on the planet, brother. One punch from one in all these guys can knock anybody out, you already know? You noticed that. I kicked him as soon as and broke his leg. The bone should have touched the opposite bone and broke it. You noticed he felt that, and I kicked once more, and the battle was over with one kick. We hit actually exhausting — not solely me, however the guys I’m preventing.”
After the bout, earlier than leaving the octagon on the Shanghai Indoor Stadium, Walker referred to as out “the legendary Polish energy” of former UFC gentle heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz. Walker mentioned he’s uncertain when he’ll re-enter the cage, however volunteered to be a part of UFC’s upcoming occasion in Brazil on Oct. 11.
“I wish to battle once more this yr,” Walker mentioned. “Possibly at UFC Rio, I don’t know. We’ll see. It may very well be at UFC Rio, it may very well be later — November, December. However I wish to battle another time this yr, God prepared.”
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