"This guy is just a big version of a ninja" - Kamaru Usman shares prediction for Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker

Kamaru Usman may be one half of the co-main event of UFC 294, but that did not stop him from posting fight predictions on his YouTube channel.

Usman, who stepped in on short notice to face Khamzat Chimaev, predicted that Magomed Ankalaev would overcome the 'extremely explosive' Johnny Walker. The former welterweight champ predicted Ankalaev's technical skills would allow him to pull away from Walker. He said:

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"[Ankalaev] is so big. He can grapple, he can wrestle, but he prefers to stand and strike and I think where he pulls away from Johnny Walker is that he has the technical fundamentals."

Both Ankalaev and Walker enter this matchup as top 10-ranked UFC light heavyweights. Ankalaev is the sizeable favorite and returns to the octagon for the first time since fighting Jan Blachowicz to a draw in the final pay-per-view of 2022.

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The draw was Ankalaev's first blemish since his UFC debut loss to Paul Craig. Despite the loss — which remains the sole defeat in Ankalaev's career — he dominated almost every second of the fight before getting caught in a last second submission. Usman noted he has been impressed by the Russian ever since that fight, saying:

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"Magomed Ankalaev is a guy that I've been high on since his first ever bout in the UFC. I mean this guy is just a big version of a ninja."

Walker enters the contest off of a decision win over former title challenger Anthony Smith. He is currently on a three fight win streak that coincidentally includes a win over Craig.

The bout between Ankalaev and Walker will be the third fight on the pay-per-view main card. With the next light heavyweight champion being crowned at UFC 295, the winner could find themselves in line for a title shot.

Watch Usman's full UFC 294 breakdown in his YouTube video below:

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