5 power punchers that UFC fans are currently sleeping on

#4. Johnny Walker – UFC light heavyweight

Johnny Walker is still one of the UFC's most dangerous knockout artists

Back in 2019, Johnny Walker was a name on the lips of every UFC fan as a potential challenger to then-UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones. However, since then his hype train has slowed down considerably.

Is this really fair, though? The Brazilian was largely derailed by back-to-back losses to Corey Anderson and Nikita Krylov. But since then, he’s recovered with a vicious knockout of fellow 205-pound contender Ryan Spann.

After landing several punches while pressed up against the cage, @JohnnyWalker hit a final elbow that put Ryan Spann out 😳 #UFCVegas11 pic.twitter.com/oc2jf0Y0BS

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) September 20, 2020

More to the point, Walker is still one of the most dangerous and unorthodox power punchers in the UFC today. After all, the proof is in his ridiculous record.

Walker has 18 MMA wins to his name, with five losses in the other direction. Incredibly, 15 of them have come via KO or TKO. This explosive Brazilian has shown that he’s more than capable of stepping up in competition, too.

Since arriving in the UFC in 2018, he’s taken out four opponents, and none of them have gone the distance. That includes fellow knockout artists Khalil Rountree Jr. and Misha Cirkunov.

Of course, Walker isn’t just a concussive puncher. He carries just as much power in his knees, elbows and kicks. And if he can beat former UFC title challenger Thiago Santos in October, it’s doubtful that anyone will be sleeping on him anymore.

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#3. Magomed Ankalaev – UFC light heavyweight

Magomed Ankalaev has become renowned for his brutally heavy hands

Johnny Walker isn’t the only overlooked power puncher in the UFC light heavyweight division. Perhaps the most dangerous fighter point blank at 205 pounds is still flying under the radar despite a string of impressive wins. His name? Magomed Ankalaev.

A native of Dagestan, Ankalaev entered the UFC in 2018 and held a reputation as a stellar grappler at the time. Many UFC fans expected him to follow in the footsteps of other Dagestani grapplers such as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev.

However, in the years that have followed, Ankalaev has become much better known for his brutal punching power than his submission skills. He’s picked up a total of six wins in the octagon, four of which have come by KO or TKO.

And while he’s more than happy to use his grappling inside the octagon, his punching power was somewhat overlooked even prior to his UFC career. He picked up knockout wins over UFC veterans Wagner Prado and Maxim Grishin on the regional scene.

Ankalaev’s most recent knockout came over Ion Cutelaba, and it was a brutal one. The Dagestani landed a huge haymaker that instantly turned out the Moldovan’s lights.

NO CONTROVERSY THIS TIME AROUND!🇷🇺 @AnkalaevM with the finish at #UFC254 pic.twitter.com/cKmR3FnVTd

— UFC (@ufc) October 24, 2020

Right now, he’s on a six-fight winning streak. If he can use his heavy hands to take out Volkan Oezdemir at UFC 267, it’s highly unlikely that he’ll remain under the radar.