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UFC 294 bore witness to an explosive clash between Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker, but it was a ringside physician's questionable decision that stole the spotlight. In the early moments of their light heavyweight showdown, Walker absorbed a massive knee strike from Ankalaev while he was on the canvas, causing a temporary halt in the action. However, what followed was a controversial and abrupt stoppage by the ringside doctor.
The controversy stemmed from the doctor's examination of Walker immediately after he got back on his feet. The physician posed questions to him, including identifying the location of the fight. When Walker couldn't provide a sufficiently coherent response, the doctor promptly relayed his concerns to the referee, leading to the fight's termination. The bout was declared a no-contest due to an unintentional foul committed by Ankalaev.
In the aftermath of this decision, UFC CEO Dana White voiced his strong disapproval of the doctor's actions during the post-fight press conference. White bluntly stated, "The guy's inexperienced." He believes that several factors may have contributed to this mishap, including a potential language barrier between Walker, whose first language is not English, and the doctor.
White clarified, "I guess he asked him 'where are you right now?' and his response was 'I'm in the desert.' He's not wrong."
White's comments point to a misunderstanding exacerbated by the language barrier, creating an unfortunate situation.
While this incident left fans and fighters bewildered, White assured that the UFC would address the matter and rectify it. As for what lies ahead for Ankalaev and Walker, White did not specify whether a rematch was in the cards. However, past scenarios with similar circumstances have been resolved with a rematch, providing hope for fans eager to see these fighters settle their unfinished business.
It's another twist in Ankalaev's recent fights, as he walked away from UFC 294 without a win on his record, following a draw in his bout with Jan Blachowicz that cost him the UFC light heavyweight title. Now, the question remains whether a do-over will be the path to resolution in this tumultuous rivalry.