Volkan Oezdemir Knocks Out Johnny Walker at UFC Saudi Arabia, Criticism of Referee Arises

Volkan Oezdemir delivered a devastating first-round knockout to Johnny Walker at UFC Saudi Arabia, marking his second consecutive victory. The fight, which opened the main card, saw Walker floored twice in the first round, with the final blow coming from a powerful uppercut. Referee Jason Herzog faced criticism for not stopping the fight sooner, leading to an unnecessary follow-up punch while Walker was already unconscious. This knockout loss continues Walker's recent downturn, having been stopped in two straight bouts. Meanwhile, Robert Whittaker and Shara Magomedov also secured impressive knockout victories, each earning Performance of the Night bonuses. Felipe Lima achieved the night's lone submission, overcoming short-notice challenges to secure a rear-naked choke in the third round.