Johnny Walker has been forced to withdraw from UFC 311 due to an injury, as announced by the Brazilian light heavyweight on his social media channels. It remains uncertain whether Guskov will be assigned a new opponent for the upcoming Jan. 18 event in Los Angeles.
Although Walker did not disclose the specific nature of his injury that led to his absence from the pay-per-view event, he did mention that it was a significant setback.
Expressing his disappointment in a video message, Walker stated, “I’m devastated. I’ve dedicated months of hard work and training for this moment, and I was really looking forward to putting on a show for all of you. Unfortunately, it’s not meant to be this time. I wish Bogdan the best of luck, and I hope he can secure a replacement opponent soon, as I know he has also put in a lot of effort for this fight.”
Acknowledging the unfortunate turn of events, Walker added, “I understand that this is disappointing news, but I need to make the right decision for my health and well-being. I need to recover and come back stronger, especially now that I have a family to support. Caio, my little baby, is my motivation to bounce back and return to the octagon stronger than ever. I promise to heal quickly and make a triumphant return.”
Walker, with a professional record of 21 wins, 9 losses, and 1 no contest, was eager to bounce back from a series of defeats against Magomed Ankalaev and Volkan Oezdemir. He last secured a victory in the octagon by winning three consecutive fights against Ion Cutelaba, Paul Craig, and Anthony Smith between 2022 and 2023.
Guskov, with a record of 16 wins and 3 losses, who trains alongside Walker’s brother Valter Walker in Russia, shared his well wishes for Walker on social media, stating, “Feel better, sh*t happens.” Guskov has recently achieved impressive victories over Zac Pauga and Ryan Spann in 2024, earning $50,000 performance bonuses for both wins.
UFC 311 is set to be held at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, although there is a possibility of a venue change due to the ongoing wildfires in the state. The event will feature Islam Makhachev defending his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan in the main event, while Merab Dvalishvili, the 135-pound champion, will face undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov in the penultimate fight of the night.