UFC 244 results: Corey Anderson stops Johnny Walker hype with stunning first-round TKO

Corey Anderson put an emphatic end to the hype surrounding top light heavyweight prospect Johnny Walker in the featured prelim at UFC 244.

In the days and weeks leading up to the card, Anderson spoke often about his frustration with the UFC not offering him a title shot or at least a top contender but instead giving him the fight with Walker. He apparently decided to take out his anger on the 27-year-old Brazilian after battering him with punches until he got the finish at just 2:07 into the opening round.

“There’s levels to this game,” Anderson said after earning his fourth straight win. “I’ve been here 14 fights. UFC, nobody gives me my respect.”

When the fight started, Walker was the one in the spotlight as fans watched with bated breath, anticipating another highlight reel finish after knocking out his first three opponents in the UFC in less than three minutes of total cage time.

Rather than going on the attack immediately, Walker started the fight by dancing around the Octagon, showing off his head movement and footwork to stay out of Anderson’s wrestling range.

While he was able to fight off an early takedown from the former college wrestler, Walker never got a chance to unleash his best strikes as he was almost immediately fending off combinations from Anderson.

That’s when a powerful overhand right came swooping down from Anderson that clubbed Walker on the side of his head and that was the beginning of the end.

Anderson swarmed on Walker with a barrage of punches as the Brazilian desperately tried to get his center of gravity back under him after having his bell rung for the first time in the UFC.

The assault continued until Anderson got the clinch and started unloading with a series of uppercuts that saw Walker’s head snap back several times in succession. The stoppage came with a standing TKO after Anderson just continued to drop bomb after bomb and Walker was out on his feet.

Anderson taunted Walker after the finish as his celebration boiled over following arguably the most important win of his UFC career to date.

Anderson has now won four straight and he has to be considered in the running for a potential title shot against reigning champion Jon Jones. As for Walker, he falls for the first time in the UFC albeit while losing to a Octagon veteran like Anderson, who was already ranked in the top-10 at the start of the night.