Dominick Reyes defeats Johnny Walker by split decision at UFC 327

Dominick Reyes picked up a split decision win over Johnny Walker in a light heavyweight contest at UFC 327, held on April 11, 2026, with the judges' verdict proving divisive among fighters and fans alike.

Reyes, now 16-5, improves to 4-1 across his last five bouts after recovering from a loss to Carlos Ulberg. Ranked eighth in the light heavyweight division, the 36-year-old American trains out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness and brings a southpaw style along with one of the more active striking outputs in the division, averaging 5.39 significant strikes per minute at 54 percent accuracy. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, "The Devastator" relies predominantly on his hands, with minimal grappling volume in his game.

Walker drops to 22-10 and has now lost three of his last four, a troubling stretch for the Brazilian ranked eleventh at light heavyweight. At six-foot-six with an extraordinary 82-inch reach, the 34-year-old SBG Ireland product carries genuine knockout threat on paper, averaging 4.06 significant strikes per minute with 55 percent accuracy. His submission rate of 0.8 attempts per 15 minutes also suggests he is capable on the ground, though neither dimension appeared to shine on the night.

The fight drew a frustrated response from viewers who felt the action fell well short of expectations, and a portion of observers believed Walker had done enough to take the decision in his favor.

Why it matters

• Reyes at 8th in the rankings edges closer to the upper tier of a competitive light heavyweight division
• Walker's slide to 3-3 in his last four raises serious questions about his divisional standing at 11th
• The controversial split decision adds pressure on matchmakers to give Walker a clearer stylistic test, while Reyes will look to build momentum toward a top-five opportunity