Johnny Walker Enters UFC Heavyweight Top 10 at No. 7 in Updated Rankings

Johnny Walker has broken into the UFC heavyweight top 10, landing at No. 7 in the latest rankings update. Waldo Cortes-Acosta dropped one spot to No. 8 in the shuffle.

The movement follows a direct meeting between the two. Walker stopped Cortes Acosta by KO/TKO in the third round at UFC Fight Night: Cortes Acosta vs. Walker on November 7, three days before the rankings update.

Walker's run

Walker, a 34-year-old Brazilian who trains with SBG Ireland, now sits at 24-10-0 in the heavyweight division. The win over Cortes Acosta was his second straight stoppage. On October 3 at UFC 332 he knocked out Mick Parkin in the first round, after a split-decision loss to Dominick Reyes on April 11 at UFC 327.

The orthodox fighter stands six-foot-six (198 cm) with an 82-inch (208 cm) reach. He lands 3.98 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, and averages 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes.

Cortes Acosta's slide

Cortes Acosta, a 35-year-old from the United States who fights out of Ultimate Kombat Fitness, is 17-5-0. The loss to Walker was his third in a row. He dropped a unanimous decision to Curtis Blaydes on September 12 at Noche UFC and a unanimous decision to Alexander Volkov on May 9 at UFC 328.

He stands six-foot-four (193 cm) with a 78-inch (198 cm) reach, giving up four inches of reach to Walker. Cortes Acosta carries the higher output at 5.03 significant strikes per minute, but his accuracy sits at 47 percent, eight points below Walker's.

Why it matters

• Walker's finish over Cortes Acosta produced a clean swap in the rankings: he moves up to No. 7 while Cortes Acosta falls to No. 8.
• Walker enters the top 10 on a two-fight winning streak, both wins by KO/TKO.
• Cortes Acosta has now lost three straight, though only the latest ended inside the distance.

The two met only once, and the result went Walker's way by knockout, a head-to-head outcome that the rankings now reflect.