UFC ON ABC 4 Betting: Smith vs Walker Fight Analysis, Odds and Predictions (Saturday, May 13th, 2023)

Light heavyweight fighters Anthony Smith and Johnny Walker tangle in a three-round clash that is part of the UFC on ABC 4 main card. The match is scheduled on Saturday, May 13, at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The showdown will have major implications in the 205-pound category, especially on the middle part of the rankings. Smith is the division’s No5 contender while Walker is two rungs below. A convincing victory by the latter would catapult him to the rankings while Smith’s victory would line him up in title matches in the future. Despite the lower ranking, Walker is favored by current UFC betting trends to win the showdown.

Anthony Smith

Smith is coming to the octagon with a win-loss record of 36-17. The veteran is coming off a technical knockout loss to Magomed Ankalaev in his last fight in July last year. The setback broke his three-fight winning streak but he remains as one of the top contenders in the 205-pound class. Smith, who had fought the likes of Mauricio Rua, Rashad Evans and Jon Jones, has stopped 34 fighters, with 20 coming by way of knockout and 14 submissions. The Corpus Christi, Texas native needs a win to put him back in the title picture. Smith’s fight statistics can deceive a new UFC fan as he has absorbed more significant strikes than landed with a 4.37 to 2.99 ratio but he makes this up with quality strikes that could knock out an opponent or force a foe to tap out.

Johnny Walker

Walker started 2023 with a bang by demolishing Paul Craig in just 136 seconds. It was the sixth consecutive first-round win for the Brazilian, who likes to take advantage of his opponent’s weaknesses and finish early. Four of his one-round stoppages have earned him Performance of the Night bonuses from the promotion as he looks to secure another one in his match against Smith. A victory would propel him possibly in the top five of the light heavyweight contender rankings that would line him up for a future title clash. Walker has averaged 3.38 significant strikes per minute and he has kept himself elusive as he only allowed 2.6 strikes in his UFC career. Grappling wise, the Brazilian has averaged 1.24 submissions per 15 minutes and is perfect in his takedown attempts.

Anthony Smith vs Johnny Walker Betting Numbers

	Smith	Walker
Record	36-17-0	20-7-0
Last Fight	Loss	Win
Country	United States	Brazil
Height	6′ 4″	6′ 6″
Weight	205 lbs.	205 lbs.
Reach	76″	82″
Win by KO/TKO	53%	80%
Submissions	39%	15%
Decisions	6%	5%
Strikes Landed Per Minute	2.99	3.38
Striking Accuracy	47%	60%
Striking Absorbed Per Minute	4.37	2.60
Striking Defense	42%	42%
Takedown Average	0.44	0.41
Takedown Accuracy	27%	100%
Takedown Defense	48%	58%
Submission Average	0.7	1.2

Smith vs. Walker Summary

Walker looks to pick up another big fish in Smith as he seeks to move up the 205-pound division rankings. On the other hand, Smith aims to solidify his status as one of the top five contenders in the weight class that would possibly line him up for a future showdown with light heavyweight champ Jamahal Hill. Despite the higher rankings, Smith is tabbed as the underdog as he lost in his previous match. Another reason is the recent stoppage wins of Walker that impressed the sports betting experts, automatically placing him as one of the top stars in the division. Expect the match to end before the final bell sounds with one of them picking up a stoppage victory due to their world-class MMA abilities.