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Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer
Light heavyweight title contenders Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker will meet at UFC 294 in October, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The 205-pound bout will take place on Oct. 21 in Etihad Arena. A lightweight championship matchup between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira is scheduled to headline the event.
It’s a big fight in the light heavyweight division, as both Ankalaev and Walker are already in title contention. Ankalaev (18-1-1) fought Jan Blachowicz to a split draw in a vacant title fight in December. The 31-year-old Russian was upset at the scoring of that five-round bout and believed he’d done enough to win the championship. This UFC 294 matchup will be his first appearance since the draw.
Walker (21-7) was a highly touted prospect years ago upon entering the UFC, but has had an up-and-down career in the Octagon. He seems to have figured it out, however, at age 31, and is currently riding a three-fight win streak over Ion Cutelaba, Paul Craig and Anthony Smith. Six of his seven wins in the UFC have come via first-round finish.
The UFC ranks Ankalaev and Walker as its Nos. 2 and 7-ranked light heavyweights, respectively.
The UFC’s 205-pound championship is currently vacant, as former champion Jamahal Hill was recently forced to drop the belt due to serious ankle injury. The UFC has not yet announced its official plans, however expectations are that former champions Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira will eventually meet in the next title matchup.
Vestnik MMA was first to report news of the Ankalaev-Walker bout.