Final evening (Sat., June 22, 2024) at UFC Saudi Arabia, Johnny Walker suffered his sixth knockout loss as an expert by the hands of power-punching Swiss kickboxer Volkan Oezdemir.
To be frank, it’s getting onerous to observe.
Now, no medical skilled would suggest getting knocked out six instances, however by itself, that quantity isn’t extraordinary in blended martial arts. Some opponents struggle a number of many years and have 50-fight careers, which might result in some ugly statistics. The legendary Alistair Overeem, for instance, has 15 losses through knockout in MMA and one other three within the kickboxing ring.
The issue is that Walker doesn’t simply get knocked out. He doesn’t take a tough punch, fall to the ground, and canopy up till the referee saves him. Every time Walker will get put down, he falls like a tree being chopped down in a wind storm. He goes stiff within the fencing response and deep into an extended sleep, two dangerous indicators of significant harm.
There are handful of causes for these knockout losses, each apparent and inobvious. On the technical facet of issues, Walker nonetheless hasn’t developed a lot of a boxing ability. His protection is to keep away from the pocket, however when his again touches the fence, all of it goes to hell in a handbasket. That’s a technical and tactical situation, one I don’t imagine his present combating type or struggle group have appropriately addressed.
Technical woes are much less regarding than the way in which Walker reacts to getting hit. His mind appears to go on the fritz. You’ll be able to see him glitch out in actual time. Previously, I’ve theorized this response is the results of slicing an excessive amount of weight, which might severely have an effect on a fighter’s means to take a shot. Walker is without doubt one of the greatest males within the division, so my suggestion was a transfer as much as Heavyweight, the place no less than his mind could be totally hydrated when getting pummeled.
That suggestion came to visit two years in the past, and now it feels too late. Usually, fighters get simpler to knock out the extra it occurs. Walker has suffered two extra BAD knockout losses since that article. Much more harm has been finished, and leaping up a weight class seems like much less of an answer.
What’s the reply? I don’t have one anymore. I’ve no want to be the pearl-clutching author demanding an athlete retires. He’s nonetheless a High 10-ranked UFC fighter, in any case. On the identical time, I do know full nicely that another 220-pound slugger goes to stroll Walker to the fence and ship him into one other deep sleep within the subsequent six-to-18 months.
It’s solely going to develop more durable to observe.
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