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Nina-Marie Daniele had a hilarious reaction to Johnny Walker's next fight being announced.
Earlier this year, the UFC announced they were postponing their first event in Saudi Arabia, which was supposed to take place in March. Instead, Dana White recently revealed the worldwide leader in sports is making the trip on June 22, with Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev in the main event.
The UFC CEO also confirmed several other matchups for the Saudi Arabia event, including Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov, Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez, Shara 'Bullet' Magomedov vs. Ihor Potieria, and Walker vs. Volkan Oezdemir.
Once the fight announcements went viral, Marie-Daniele had this to say when commenting on ESPN MMA's Instagram post:
"Johnny Walker is back in the dessert! LOL"
Marie-Daniele was referencing Walker's fight against Magomed Ankalaev in October 2023 at UFC 294 in the United Arab Emirates. Ankalaev landed an accidental illegal knee, leading to the doctor coming in and asking the Brazilian, 'Do you know where you are?'
Walker responded by saying, 'I'm in the desert,' and the doctor stopped the fight thinking he was compromised. The light heavyweight matchup was ruled a no-contest as the fans were confused after seeing both fighters wanting to continue.
What's at stake between Johnny Walker and Volkan Oezdemir?
Following the no-contest, Johnny Walker and Magomed Ankalaev fought again three months later in a fight night main event. Ankalaev left no doubt in the rematch, as he knocked out Walker in round two, ending the Brazilian's three-fight winning streak.
At UFC Saudi Arabia, Walker looks to get back on track after enduring a significant setback against Ankalaev. Luckily, he's only 31 years old and has shown flashes of world championship potential. With a win against Volkan Oezdemir, the unpredictable light heavyweight could secure a top-five opponent next.
Meanwhile, Oezdemir last fought in September 2023, defeating Bogdan Guskov by first-round submission. Due to his inconsistent results, 'No Time' has become somewhat of a gatekeeper at 205 pounds. Therefore, a win against Walker would silence the doubters and prove he's still a legitimate contender.
Watch Oezdemir submit Guskov at UFC Paris below:
