Brazilian light heavyweight Johnny Walker has announced his withdrawal from UFC 311 due to a significant injury. Walker, slated to face Bogdan Guskov on January 18 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, shared the disappointing news on social media, leaving uncertainty about Guskov’s opponent for the event.
In a heartfelt video, Johnny Walker expressed his devastation over the setback.
“I’m devastated,” Walker said. “A lot of hard work I put in these past months, trained a lot, and I really wanted to come back and put on a show for you, but not this time.”
Walker refrained from specifying the nature of the injury but described it as “a bad injury” that required him to prioritize his health and recovery.
“I have to make the right decision, recover, and come back stronger. Everyone knows I’m a dad now—Caio is my little baby. I fight for my family, and I need to be in the best condition to perform at my best,” he added.
Walker, whose record stands at 21-9 with one no-contest, was aiming to break a three-fight winless streak, which included bouts against Magomed Ankalaev and Volkan Oezdemir. His last victory in the octagon came in a trio of wins over Ion Cutelaba, Paul Craig, and Anthony Smith between 2022 and 2023.
Guskov, who trains with Walker’s brother Valter Walker in Russia, reacted empathetically to the announcement on social media.
“Feel better, sh*t happens,” Guskov wrote, wishing Walker a speedy recovery. Guskov, riding the momentum of back-to-back finishes over Zac Pauga and Ryan Spann in 2024, has earned $50,000 performance bonuses for both victories.
UFC 311, headlined by Islam Makhachev defending his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan, also features a bantamweight title clash between Merab Dvalishvili and undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov. However, the event’s location remains uncertain due to wildfires affecting California.
As Walker focuses on his recovery, fans and the UFC community will await updates on Guskov’s potential replacement and Walker’s return to the octagon.
