Sometimes, the fights that matter most are the hardest to watch.
Dominick Reyes kept his place in the light heavyweight title picture Saturday night, April 11, grinding out a split decision win over Johnny Walker at UFC 327, in a bout that drew loud boos and little admiration.
But it delivered exactly what Reyes needed even if it wasn’t the high-impact, finish-heavy striking battle many expected.
“He didn’t enter, or he didn’t try to hit me. If he would have tried to hit me I could have tried to put it on more,” Reyes said after the fight. “All respect to Johnny. I’m not trying to disrespect him at all or anything like that. He’s a hell of a competitor. He’s an extremely dangerous human being.”
The three-round bout unfolded as a cautious, range-driven chess match that never found a second gear.
Walker leaned heavily on low kicks and lateral movement, circling and picking at Reyes’ lead leg while avoiding prolonged exchanges.
Reyes showed flashes of offense. A stiff left hand here, a partially landed head kick there.
But he mostly opted for patience over risk, probing with jabs and single shots rather than forcing chaotic exchanges.
“I had to force the action a few times, I wobbled him a few times, it was a technical good fight,” Reyes said. “I 100-percent thought it was going to be a crazy, wild, throwing bows fight. But it didn’t go down like that. You can’t predict the future. You can only prepare for it. I did all my preparations.”
That may not have resonated with fans.
The expectations went unmet.
But the victory reflects the reality of a veteran navigating the final chapters of his career.
“Being Dominick Reyes, people expect me to come out and just go all crazy,” he said. “But I have a son. I need to come home with two checks more than anything. Getting two checks means more than entertaining.”
Reyes accomplished his objective in his return from suffering a first-round knockout loss against newly crowned light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg.
“I didn’t put myself in a bad position, which is kind of my achilles heel,” Reyes said. “Like, I’m really good at all these other positions but then I’ll put myself in a bad position and really bad things happen.”
With the division led by Ulberg, who shockingly knocked out Jiri Prochazka in the main event despite injuring his leg, the 36-year-old Reyes still finds himself in the mix.
He entered ranked 10th in the division and understands that the window is narrow, but still very open having won four of his last five bouts.
He hopes to continue that momentum and fight twice this year.
“Maybe within three to four months and then go again in December,” Reyes said. “I’m here collecting checks now. I’m not getting younger and I’ve got a son. Let’s get this money.”
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Victorville’s Dominick Reyes beats Johnny Walker by split decision at UFC 327
Reporting by Jose Quintero, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
