Johnny Walker wants to root for Thiago Santos, but he also hopes to make history against Jon Jones.
On July 6, Jones will defend his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight gold against Santos. The championship tilt headlines UFC 239 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Santos will be competing in a UFC title bout for the first time in his professional mixed martial arts career.
Walker Speaks On Who He Wants To Win At UFC 239
Walker is a rising light heavyweight and many are wondering if he will be the next big thing at 205 pounds. Speaking to Portal do Vale Tudo, Walker admitted he’s on the fence with who he wants UFC 239’s main event outcome to go (via Bloody Elbow):
“I’m ready to beat Jon Jones now. But I’ll accept anyone they put in front of me. I would prefer someone in the top 5 or top 10. I’m number 12, so I’ll take anyone who’s above me. I want to beat Jones, but it has to be slowly. I don’t want to get ahead of anyone, there are people more deserving than me, I have a lot of work to show, but I’ll conquer it all slowly. Marreta has a big chance, he is heavy-handed. He’s Brazilian, I root for him, I’m a patriot of course. But I [don’t] want him to win because I want to make history, I want to beat Jon Jones. So I’m torn.”
Walker has been recovering from an injury stemming from a post-fight celebration. Fans are eagerly anticipating Walker’s return as he has yet to go to the two-minute mark under the UFC banner. He’s knocked out Khalil Rountree Jr., Justin Ledet, and Misha Cirkunov to earn a “Performance of the Night” bonus after each fight. Stick with MMA News for the latest updates on Walker’s next bout.
