Walker Cracks Heavyweight Top 10 After Vegas Win

Johnny Walker cracked the UFC heavyweight top ten after stopping Waldo Cortes Acosta at UFC Vegas 124 last weekend.

The Brazilian light heavyweight-turned-heavyweight displaced Cortes Acosta from the rankings following his knockout victory in Las Vegas, MMA Mania reports. Walker, now 24-10 with one no contest, collected his second straight finish and his second consecutive $100,000 performance bonus in the process.

Walker's Heavyweight Run Gains Momentum

Walker told reporters he expects 2027 to be "the year of the heavyweights," per the report. His recent surge at 265 pounds has made that prediction look less like bluster — two stoppage wins in a row and a quarter-million dollars in fight-night bonuses have Walker positioned inside the division's top tier for the first time.

Elsewhere in the rankings update, Tatiana Suarez climbed to number one in the strawweight division after defeating Virna Jandiroba. Karine Silva jumped two spots at women's flyweight following her win over Gabriella Fernandez on the UFC Vegas 124 prelims.

Walker's next assignment at heavyweight remains unannounced, though his recent form and new top-ten ranking should open the door to a step up in competition when he returns in 2027.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Johnny Walker evicts Waldo Cortes Acosta from Heavyweight Top 10 in latest UFC rankings update