MIAMI – Dominick Reyes met the media Saturday after his win over Johnny Walker at UFC 327.
Reyes (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) got back in the win column with a split decision over Walker (22-10 MMA, 8-7 UFC) in their key light heavyweight bout on the main card at Kaseya Center in Miami.
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Although the win gave him four victories in his past five fights, it was the first time in more than seven years since he had to go the distance for a win – and his first time out of the second round in any fight, win or lose, since his title loss to Jon Jones in 2020 (which many think he won).
His win was derided by fans in the arena, and by fans and analysts online, for its lack of action over 15 minutes. To that end, Reyes said the knockout loss he suffered to Carlos Ulberg – now light heavyweight champion after UFC 327 – left him with a concussion.
And for better or worse, Reyes admitted that medical fact alone meant he should not have taken the fight against a knockout artist like Walker, which kept him from engaging in the king of way that might lead to another KO.
“He’s super dangerous, so if I go crazy, I’m going to run into something,” Reyes said at his post-fight news conference. “I did get a concussion less than six months ago. I probably shouldn’t have taken the fight, but I did. I’m here. I fought a very clean, technical fight. I did my thing, and I feel like I dominated all three rounds. He didn’t hit me. He didn’t enter. He didn’t try to hit me.
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“… Being Dominick Reyes, people expect me to come out and go all crazy and go for the knockout or get knocked out. I have a son. I need to come home with two checks more than anything. Getting two checks means more than entertaining.”
Check out Reyes’ post-fight interview in the video above.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dominick Reyes: ‘Two checks means more than entertaining’ at UFC 327
