Johnny Walker gives Jiri Prochazka gift ahead of daughter's birth

In a warm display of sportsmanship ahead of UFC 327, Johnny Walker surprised fellow light heavyweight Jiri Prochazka with a gift to mark the Czech fighter's upcoming fatherhood, with Prochazka's daughter expected to arrive soon.

Walker, 34, carries a 22-10 record and is ranked 11th in the light heavyweight division fighting out of SBG Ireland. The Brazilian stands six-foot-six with an 82-inch reach and lands 4.06 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, making him one of the more physically imposing figures in the 205-pound weight class.

Prochazka, ranked second in the division at 33 years old, enters this period of his personal life as one of light heavyweight's most dangerous competitors. The Czech Republic native trains out of Jetsaam Gym Brno and holds a 32-6-1 record. Standing six-foot-three with an 80-inch reach, he lands an impressive 5.69 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, numbers that place him among the most active strikers in the division.

Why it matters

• Prochazka's number-two ranking means any storylines surrounding him carry divisional title implications
• The gap between Walker at 11th and Prochazka at 2nd highlights how wide the ranking distance is between these two training-era acquaintances
• The gesture ahead of UFC 327 puts both fighters in the public eye during the event's build-up, even if neither is confirmed to face each other on the card

The details of the gift were not disclosed, but the moment drew attention for the genuine camaraderie it showed between two competitors who share the same weight class and, apparently, a mutual respect that extends well beyond the cage.