Apparently, the only person who can beat Johnny Walker in the UFC is himself. The rising star had another impressive showing at UFC 235 this weekend in Las Vegas, knocking out Misha Cirkunov in just 36 seconds. Although Walker made quick work of his opponent, he didn't escape the evening unscathed. That's because he injured his shoulder after the bout when celebrating.
Following Walker's win, the 26-year-old saluted and then began his signature celebration of doing "The Worm." However, after fell face first into the mat, he immediately grimaced and grabbed towards his left arm. During the post-fight interview in the Octagon, Walker said that he had dislocated his shoulder.
Although Walker seemed to be in good spirits, one person not pleased with his post-fight antics was UFC president Dana White.
“This kid’s special, and I wish he would stop doing that sh*t after,” White told reporters following the event. “There’s no upside to celebrating like that after – the kick-worm, or whatever the hell that thing is that he was he was trying to do. It’s unnecessary. You don’t need to do it. What you did already was impressive enough.”
While the injury doesn't appear too serious, Walker will go for an MRI on Monday, according to White.
“I’m hearing that he’s OK,” White continued. “It’s all I’ve been terrorizing the medical staff about tonight. They’re going to wait until Monday to get him an MRI, because he said he was fine. All the symptoms looked good after the fight. Hopefully, that’s true.”
Walker, who gained entrance into the UFC by competing on Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series, is now 3-0 since joining the UFC. He has won three consecutive "Fight of the Night" performances. His previous fight against Justin Ledet at UFC Fortaleza in February lasted just 15 seconds. None of his three fights have gone past the two-minute mark. But despite his impressive performances, both Dana White and Johnny Walker are hesitant to face top tier opponents this early in his career.
"This guy wants to fight every weekend, which I love. When you are a rising star and you have the talent that that guy does, staying active is the best thing for your career. We’re not looking to throw him in against anyone serious any time soon," White said.