LAS VEGAS – Dislocating his shoulder during his post-fight celebration at UFC 235 isn’t going to stop Johnny Walker from punctuating his wins with a little flair.
“I have to train more,” Walker told reporters, including MMAjunkie following UFC 235. “I don’t train this celebration. Everything I train, I do well. I train the flying knee. I train my punches. But I don’t train my celebration, and this happened.”
Walker (17-3 MMA, 3-0 UFC) needed just 38 seconds to down Misha Cirkunov at UFC 235, notching his third consecutive knockout victory in the UFC.
Afterward, Walker fell forward to the canvas, looking to launch into a little breakdancing celebration, though he dislocated his shoulder in the process. He said it popped back in shortly after and that he doesn’t believe there’s any serious damage to the joint – not that it would really matter.
“I can fight with only one hand,” Walker said.
At 6-foot-6 and with three consecutive knockouts to his name, Walker is quickly earning respect a potential title contender in the future, and maybe the man destined to take out Jon Jones.
Walker said that certainly lines up with his own career goals, but he’s not currently in a rush to challenge for the title, preferring instead to continued to gaining experience – something that’s proving a little difficult with the quickness he’s dispatched recent opponents.
“I have to test myself,” Walker said. “I need more fights. I need to fight three rounds. I need to check my ground game, my jiu-jitsu, my wrestling. I need more fights – more experience, as well.
“I’m ready, but if I get more experience, I’ll make more sure when I get the belt, when I fight against him, I’ll have more experience. I’m sure I can beat him.”
In the meantime, Walker said he may possibly travel to Russia or China to find new techniques and training tools. But when the UFC calls and tells him when he’s needed again, the Brazilian said he’ll be ready.
“Give the name, send me location, I’ll be there,” Walker said.
To hear more from Walker, check out the video above.
For complete coverage of UFC 235, check out the UFC Events section of the site.
