Walker burst onto the scene with a meteoric rise of flying knees and dance moves before hitting a skid against Corey Anderson and Nikita Krylov. And while some people have hopped off the Johnny Walker bandwagon, Spann still knows that hype surrounds him.
“He did have a lot more hype, but he’s still got hype and he’s right ahead of me and that’s pretty much what excites me,” said Spann of Walker. “He’s got a number and that’s what I want.”
Spann and Walker had very different journeys to the top 15, but only one of them will make the jump into title contention. It’s an opportunity that Spann can’t wait to seize. He’s ready for the spotlight and he’s ready to stake his claim as the next light heavyweight stalwart.
“You might not know me, you might not have heard my name or wonder what the hell I’m doing in the top 15,” Spann said. “But results speak for themselves.
“You can’t deny me forever.”
You can watch Spann take on Walker at UFC Vegas 11, which begins at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on ESPN+.