LAS VEGAS -- It's strange how often this happens, that two people see the same event completely differently.That's where Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker find themselves as they prepare for their light heavyweight rematch on Saturday at Apex in the main event of UFC Vegas 84.
Their first bout, on Oct. 21 on the main card of UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, ended in confusion and controversy and, naturally, neither of them sees it the same way.
What we know is this: Ankalaev threw a left hand to the body that made Walker wince in pain. Walker threw a flying knee in response, but it missed. Ankalaev grabbed him after the knee and took Walker down against the fence. Walker was against the fence and attempting to stand, but his left knee was still down, when Ankalaev threw a knee that landed on Walker's face.
It was an illegal knee. The ringside physician recommended to referee Dan Movahedi that he stop the fight, and so it was declared a no-contest. On media day Wednesday, both had different recollections of that night, though both also believe they'll win on Saturday and position themselves for a shot at the light heavyweight title.
"I used good technique and was in good position to stand up," Walker told keviniole.com. "When I started to stand up, I think he felt had no more control and he probably panicked a little bit. He felt he had to finish the fight right there. And then he threw the illegal knee. ... If we're in a sport with rules, you have to play by the rules. Hey, look: If you don't want to use rules, OK, take them all out and I'm ready for anything that could happen."
He added that "if you don't play by the rules, you need to be punished for your mistake."
Ankalaev said he felt Walker could have continued -- and most people other than the ringside doctor agreed -- but he said he felt Walker was quitting. The ringside doctor stopped the bout after questioning Walker, though Walker clearly seemed to want to go on. When Movahedi waved his arms above his heading signaling the fight was over, Walker gave him a two-handed shove to the chest.
"He showed his weakness at that moment because I think he was completely find, of sound mind," Ankalaev said of Walker to keviniole.com. "I think he could have continued, but for whatever reason, he decided to pull out of the fight and not finish that fight. That was actually quite strange to me to see that. I did not expect that."
Ankalaev is ranked No. 3 in the division, though he hasn't won a bout since he knocked out Anthony Smith in Dallas on July 30, 2022, at UFC 277. He fought to a controversial split draw with Jan Blachowicz in a title fight at UFC 282 in Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 2022, and then didn't fight again until the no-contest with Walker.
No matter, he believes he deserves a title shot should he best Walker. And he feels he learned what he needs to know in their 3:13 in the Octagon together to get that done.
"This fight is going to be very different from the first fight," Ankalaev said. "He's very tall and he has a different range. I didn't know about it but now I felt it and I felt him in the Octagon. Now I know his distance and his range. So because of that, this fight will be very different from before."
On that, the seventh-ranked Walker agreed. He insisted he'd fight emotionless -- "Like a robot," he said -- and knew what he needed to do to get the victory.
"Beat this guy [on Saturday] and then there's nothing left," Walker said. "What else is there? Nothing. Just the title. After this, it's on to the title."