Walker On Leaving Engineering For UFC Glory

Johnny Walker walked away from university halfway through his first year to become a fighter, and the Brazilian heavyweight says he made the right call.

Walker beat Waldo Cortes-Acosta by third-round TKO in the UFC Vegas 124 headliner Saturday night. In his post-fight interview, the 34-year-old reflected on abandoning his chemical engineering studies six months in to train mixed martial arts full-time. Speaking to UFC media, Walker said few people can compete at this level. "I could be a chemical engineer," he said, per Sherdog, but added that his love for cage fighting outweighs any alternate path.

What Walker Says Makes UFC Fighting Unique

Walker described the rush that comes after surviving a tough bout. The satisfaction of victory once the danger passes cannot be matched by any other line of work, he told reporters. According to Walker, that singular emotional payoff keeps him coming back.

Against Cortes-Acosta, Walker said he stayed composed as his opponent loaded up on big shots trying to score an early finish. The Brazilian noticed the Cuban-American lunging and missing badly on power punches. Walker waited for the right moment and capitalized when Cortes-Acosta gassed in the third frame.

The heavyweight division veteran improved to 22-9 with the stoppage. Walker has not yet been booked for his next appearance.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Johnny Walker explains why he left chemical engineering for UFC glory