Jamahal Hill scored a stunning first-round knockout of Johnny Walker in the first round of the pair’s UFC Fight Night main event on Saturday, freezing his fellow light heavyweight with a right hand in Las Vegas.
Midway through the opening frame, American Hill slipped a jab from his opponent and landed an overhand right to the top of Walker’s head, which caused the Brazilian to fall backwards and onto the canvas in dramatic fashion – his head hitting the fence on the way down.
Hill (10-1, 1 No Contest) lived up to his “Sweet Dreams” nickname with the finish, which marked the 30-year-old’s second straight first-round stoppage win.
While the result should mean 12th-ranked Hill climbs into the top 10 at 205lbs, it saw the flamboyant Walker (18-7) slip to a fourth loss in his last five fights.
Walker, 29, had endeared himself to fans and marked himself out as a potential future champion by winning his first three UFC bouts with first-round knockouts, but the Brazilian now faces an uncertain future in the promotion.
Full results
Jamahal Hill def. Johnny Walker via first-round KO (punch, 2:55)
Kyle Daukaus def. Jamie Pickett via first-round submission (D’Arce choke, 4:59)
Parker Porter def. Alan Baudot via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jim Miller def. Nikolas Motta via second-round TKO (strikes, 1:58)
Joaquin Buckley def. Abdul Razak Alhassan via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Jonathan Pearce def. Christian Rodriguez via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Mario Bautista def. Jay Perrin via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
David Onama def. Gabriel Benitez via first-round TKO (strikes, 4:24)
Stephanie Egger def. Jessica-Rose Clark via first-round submission (armbar, 3:44)
Chas Skelly def. Mark Striegl via second-round TKO (strikes, 2:01)
Gloria de Paula def. Diana Belbita via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Chad Anheliger def. Jesse Strader via third-round TKO (strikes, 3:33)
