Dominick Reyes beat Johnny Walker by split decision in a low-action fight at UFC 327. The judges scored the bout 29-28, 29-28, and 28-29, giving Reyes the win.
Fight summary
Reyes and Walker spent much of the fight trading low and calf kicks. Neither fighter pushed hard for a sustained exchange. The action was mainly long-range kicking with only occasional head-kick attempts and a few punches mixed in.
Walker kept returning to the calf kick throughout the fight. Reyes answered with his own leg kicks and the odd teep to the body. Both men tried spinning or high strikes at times, but those attempts mostly missed or were blocked.
Round-by-round details
Round one opened with Walker landing inside-leg and calf kicks. Reyes answered with a head-kick attempt and a few left hands. Walker kept working low kicks, and Reyes landed a counter punch late in the round.
Round two was similar. Both fighters used body and leg kicks. Reyes landed a straight left and a body kick. Walker landed a solid body kick and briefly tried for a takedown against the cage, but Reyes escaped. The crowd began to voice its displeasure and chanted “This is boring.”
In the third, leg kicks continued to be the main weapon. Reyes landed several inside-leg kicks and a couple of calf kicks. Walker had a late teep and a final body kick attempt that left him off balance and stumbling to the mat as the round ended. The crowd booed again in the closing minute.
Decision and reaction
The judges gave Reyes the split-decision win. While Walker may have landed slightly more kicks, the judges awarded two rounds to Reyes. The final scorecards read 29-28, 29-28 for Reyes and 28-29 for Walker.
Both fighters have had durability questions in the past, and that showed tonight. Neither man seemed willing to trade heavy shots or press a sustained attack. The result leaves little clear momentum for either fighter beyond the official win and loss on their records.
| Fighter | Recent Result |
|---|---|
| Dominick Reyes | Win by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) |
| Johnny Walker | Loss by split decision |
Report: UFCcoverage
