SUMMARY
- The card underwent a major last-minute change, with Matheus Nicolau vs. Manel Kape getting canceled after the weigh-ins.
- UFC lightweight veteran Jim Miller added to his historic tally of 26 wins in the UFC.
UFC Vegas 84 is in the books, and what a way to kick off things in 2024! On a night where we saw some splendid performances with numerous finishes and KOs, fans will be walking away quite satisfied after this one. With that said, let’s take a look at the results and bonus winners from Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker 2.
For the most part, the UFC’s return to the APEX on January 13 was just a trailer for what’s to come at UFC 297. However, despite it being a fight-night event, the card held its own when compared to its predecessors. Notably, the card also underwent a major last-minute change, with Matheus Nicolau vs. Manel Kape getting canceled after the weigh-ins.
All things considered, the event still managed to deliver on fan expectations. Interestingly, UFC lightweight veteran Jim Miller added to his historic tally of 26 wins in the UFC. Submitting Gabriel Benitez in the co-main event, ‘A-10‘ firmly managed to stake his claim for a spot at UFC 300. Elsewhere, Magomed Ankalaev left no doubt and delivered a brutal knockout of Johnny Walker.
As mentioned previously, there were many more beautiful performances and finishes from the likes of Brunno Ferreira, Marcus McGhee, and Jean Silva as well. Further, top prospects Farid Basharat and Joshua Van also left a positive account of themselves with a dominant decision and TKO win respectively.
UFC Vegas 84: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker results and bonus winners
Although many may have forgotten, this event also had some implications for what would happen at UFC 300. With his spectacular win over Walker, Ankalaev is now tied for fourth in UFC light heavyweight history with six knockouts. Not only that, but he also has one of the longest unbeaten streaks with 12 wins on the trot. As such, the Russian wasted no time in issuing a callout to Alex Pereira for the title at UFC 300.
With many questions regarding who would face ‘Poatan‘ next, Ankalaev has declared himself the most worthy contender. Moreover, considering Glover Texeira’s response to the callout, the UFC will look to get this matchup done sooner rather than later. At the same time, Jim Miller shot his shot, calling out Paul Felder for a scrap at UFC 300. With the former fighter-turned-commentator receptive to the idea, it will be interesting to see how the matter develops.
Now, let’s take a look at the full results from the night.
Main Card
Magomed Ankalaev def. Johnny Walker via KO (Round 2)
Jim Miller def. Gabriel Benitez via submission (face crank, Round 3)
Mario Bautista def. Ricky Simon via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Brunno Ferreira def. Phil Hawes via KO ( Round 1)
Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Andrei Arlovski via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Prelims
Preston Parsons def. Matthew Semelsberger via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-37, 30-27)
Marcus McGhee def. Gaston Bolanos via TKO (Round 2)
Farid Basharat def. Taylor Lapilus via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jean Silva def. Westin Wilson via TKO (Round 1)
Nikolas Motta def. Tom Nolan via TKO ( Round 1)
Joshua Van def. Felipe Bunes via TKO ( Round 2)
Four epic battles!
Four bonus worthy performances 💰 #UFCVegas84 pic.twitter.com/voMeLG8fML
— UFC (@ufc) January 14, 2024
Following the conclusion of the event, the bonus winners from the night were announced. On the night, four fighters were awarded the Performance of the Night honors. Notably, Marcus McGhee, Brunno Ferreira, Jim Miller, and Magomed Ankalaev will be taking home an additional, $50,000 bonus.
