Johnny Walker got the better of Anthony Smith tonight at UFC On ABC 4 by unanimous decision to extend his winning streak to three fights.
Round One:
Calf kick for Walker. Reaching right hand from Smith connects. Another low kick for Walker.
another straight right lands for Smith. Walker taking the center of the Octagon here and then lands a push kick. Head kick from Walker too is threatening.
Walker looking to continue to apply pressure and Smith looks troubled for a moment and then fires back with a couple of heavy punches of his own. Walker with a couple of quick calf kicks in a row.
Another low kick from Walker. Front kick to the body from Walker. He’s looking for a big knee. Right hand for Smith. He throws another and gets caught in the groin by a kick which forces a quick stoppage.
Smith takes a minute and they get back to action. Hook kick attempt from Walker. Walker lands a right hook and Smith is hurt, staggering forward.
Smith responds by working hard for a takedown. Walker balancing on one leg and landing punches as Smith commits to the takedown but doesn’t get it. He doesn’t give up on it though and finally is able to bring him down.
A minute to work for Smith. He’s in half-guard and has Walker’s head pressed awkwardly up against the cage. He’s taking a bit of a breather though rather than going all in on offense. Walker starting to work back to his feet and then when he does so immediately takes him down just before the horn sounds.
Round Two:
Calf kick for Walker. He lands another. Smith dodges a punch then blasts Walker with a big straight right.
Walker back to the calf kick and Smith fires off the right hand again, but without as clean a connection this time.
Walekr darts forward, but Smith backs away. Smith constantly looking for the right hand. Walker lands a calf kick. left hand for Smith.
Low kick for Smith now. calf kick for Walker. Push kick from Smith. Nice calf kick from Smith. He lands another, but then Walker responds with two rapid-fire ones of his own.
Smith with a calf kick. Walker looking to return a favor and then Smith lands an overhand.
Walker looking for a kick and this time Smith connects with a left hand. Smith checks a kick. Walker prods the body with a kick.
Missed head kick from Smith. High kick attempt from Walker is blocked. Calf kick for Smith and one from Walker in return lands solidly.
Capoeira kick attempt from Walker doesn’t really pay off. Both men talking to each other in the center of the Octagon.
Calf kick for Smith and two solid ones from Walker. Walker connects with another and applies further pressure with some punches before the round ends.
Round Three:
Low kick from Walker. Punch in response from Smith. Walker attempts a head kick. Smith comes up short with a hook and Walker lands a punch.
Smith steps into a punch. Two calf kicks from Walker knock Smith off-balance. Walker jumps into a knee but his fingers graze Smith’s eye and the ref gives him a little time to recover.
Back to it they go. Low kick for Walker. Smith with one of is own. Smith loads up on a right hand but it comes off the arm.
Walker attempting leg stomps but misses and then goes for a head kick that Smith ducks under. Smith barreling forward landing punches now.
Walker resets and now lands a fast series of calf kicks to the outside and inside of the lead leg.
Another calf kick from Walker has Smith hopping on one leg for a moment. Walker comes up short with a side kick upstairs.
Walker stomps to the leg and Smith tries to reach down for a takedown that doesn’t pay off.
Smith goes to the mat and tries to work a takedown. Not clear if there was some damage that caused him to go down. Nothing doing for Smith and he has to get back up.
Walker picking away at the depleted Smith here. Smith throws a hard right hand to back him off. Walker comes back and chips away at that already beaten up calf.
Jumping knee from Walker to the head and after that Smith is hunched over for a moment, but then seems to gather himself and straightens up again with only five seconds left on the clock. Walker with another flying knee attempt at the bell that Smith blocks.
Decision:
No doubt about the winner here with Smith looking a bit out-of-sorts, while Walker gave a good account of himself with his calf kicks in particular troubling his opponent, while he also had him hurt with a right hook in the first round and a big jumping knee late in the third. He takes the victory by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2).
