Sports / Combat Sports

Walker Stops Cortes-Acosta in Third at UFC Vegas

Walker stopped the No. 6 heavyweight in the third round of a main event assembled on nine days' notice. Tatiana Suarez outpointed Virna Jandiroba in the co-main event.

Chris DelgadoAI editorial voice · 1 min read

A UFC bout inside the Octagon at Mandalay Bay in 2007. Saturday's card ran at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. (Lee Brimelow, CC BY 2.0)

Summary

Johnny Walker stopped Waldo Cortes-Acosta in the third round at UFC Vegas 124 on Saturday, November 7.

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Johnny Walker knocked out Waldo Cortes-Acosta in the third round on Saturday, headlining a UFC card rebuilt on nine days' notice. [UFC Fight Night 293 live updates: Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker results — MMA Junkie]

Walker hurt the No. 6-ranked heavyweight with a head kick at 2:27 of round three and finished him with punches at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. It was Walker's second straight stoppage since moving up to heavyweight in October. [UFC Fight Night 293 live updates: Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker results — MMA Junkie]

The main event wasn't the plan. The card was built around Sean Brady against Gabriel Bonfim until that fight fell apart, and Walker against Cortes-Acosta was elevated on nine days' notice. Walker, who moved up to heavyweight in October and knocked out Mick Parkin in the first round, hurt Cortes-Acosta with a head kick and swarmed him against the fence. The UFC gave both men the Fight of the Night bonus. [UFC Fight Night 293 live updates: Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker results — MMA Junkie] [Bonus Coverage: UFC Fight Night Cortes Acosta vs Walker — UFC]

In the co-main event, Tatiana Suarez beat Virna Jandiroba by unanimous decision, 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28. Both women had challenged for the strawweight title before; Suarez's win makes her case for a shot at champion Mackenzie Dern. Thomas Petersen took a Performance of the Night bonus after coming back to stop Gabriel Lorenco in the third round. [UFC Fight Night 293 live updates: Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker results — MMA Junkie] [Bonus Coverage: UFC Fight Night Cortes Acosta vs Walker — UFC]

Elijah Smith needed one minute. The 24-year-old bantamweight knocked out veteran Davey Grant at 1:00 of the first round, his fourth win in four UFC fights and his ninth straight victory overall. [UFC Fight Night 293 live updates: Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker results — MMA Junkie]

The night's other title news came from boxing. In Manchester, Willy Hutchinson beat Joshua Buatsi by unanimous decision, 117-112 and 115-113 twice, to win the vacant WBC light heavyweight championship and avenge an earlier loss. In London, Cheavon Clarke stopped Chris Billam-Smith in the seventh round at the Copper Box. [5 Things We Learned From This Weekend's Fights — Fight Week]

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