Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker re-booked for early 2024 date after Abu Dhabi disaster

Less than three months after their first fight ended in a no contest, Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker will square off again in the main event of UFC Vegas 83.

SBG Ireland head coach John Kavanagh announced in an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani on Monday that the fight has been re-booked for a five-round main event on January 13. With the light heavyweight belt recently being claimed at UFC 295, the winner could certainly be in line for the next title shot.

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Former champion Jamahal Hill has stated that he was guaranteed a title fight in his return from an Achilles injury, but the timeline for his return is unclear.

The rematch being targeted by the UFC was first reported by Jon Anik just prior to Kavanagh's announcement. The official fight announcement from the UFC has yet to be released.

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Since the awkward conclusion of their last fight, Johnny Walker has bashed Magomed Ankalaev repeatedly on social media. Both Walker and John Kavanagh have also questioned how the result was not a disqualification instead of a no-contest.

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Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker 1

The first fight between Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker at UFC 294 ended in chaos following an illegal knee from Ankalaev.

The doctor present surprisingly declared Walker unable to continue, resulting in a near post-fight brawl. UFC president Dana White was forced to step into the cage and calm an obviously angry Walker down.

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The fight with Walker will be the second time Magomed Ankalaev will rematch an opponent inside the octagon following an unusual first meeting. The Russian fought Ion Cutelaba twice in 2020 after one of the most controversial stoppages prematurely ended their initial contest.

Despite not losing a fight since his UFC debut, Ankalaev has not had a win since July 2022. Prior to the no-contest with Walker, Ankalaev fought Jan Blachowicz in a draw in a vacant title fight at UFC 282.

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