Dominick Reyes beat Johnny Walker by split-decision in what appeared to be little more than a half-hearted calf-kicking contest tonight at UFC 327.
Round One
Low kick from Walker. High kick attempt from Reyes. Another calf kick from Walker and then lands it again.
Inside leg kick from Walker. The same technique landed by Reyes now. Another low kick for Walker.
Teep kick to the body from Reyes. Walker continues with the calf kick. Reyes comes close with a head kick attempt.
Now it’s Walker with a kick to the head that’s blocked. Another low kick for him.
Walker with another low kick, then goes for it again, but this time Reyes counters with a punch to the head.
Reyes with another left hand now. Walker with a low kick and a body kick, but misses with follow-up punches.
Round Two
Body punch from Reyes. Inside leg kick for him. Now one from Walker.
Body kick for Reyes. Calf kick from Walker. Straight left lands for Reyes. Grazing body kick from Walker.
Reyes comes close with a head kick attempt. Now a spinning back kick that comes up short.
Inside leg kick from Walker. Question mark kick attempt from Walker.
Body kick for Reyes. Low kick for Walker. Now a teep kick from Walker. Jab from Reyes.
“This is boring,” is the chant from the crowd as both men continue to fight fairly tentatively.
Solid body kick from Walker and then tries for a takedown against the cage, but Reyes battles his way out of the clinch.
Spinning head kick from Walker misses late in the round.
Round Three
Reyes with an inside leg kick. Reyes misses with a spinning high kick.
Another inside leg kick from Reyes. He tries for a head kick that’s blocked.
Jab lands for Reyes. High kick from Walker comes off the guard. Outside calf kick from Reyes. He lands it again.
Lots of boo’s from the crowd here. Another blocked high kick from Walker.
Calf kick for Walker. Inside leg kick from Reyes. Real lack of punches in this fight.
A leg kick from Walker and body kick from Reyes. Missed spinning backfist from Reyes.
Crowd boo’s again in the final minute of the fight. Teep kick from Walker. Walker goes for a final body kick but is off-balance and stumbles to the mat.
Decision
Both of these fighters have had durability issues in the past and they fought like it tonight, with neither really offering up much apart from low kicks from range and the occasional speculative head kick. It leaves the judges with not much to go on, but even though Walker appeared to land a few more kicks along the way it’s Reyes who emerges with a split-decision victory (29-28 x2, 28-29).
