UFC Fight Night 193: Santos vs. Walker | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Conor McBragger
- 3 hours ago
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 193: Santos vs. Walker took place on October 2, 2021 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — UFC Vegas 38. The light heavyweight main event featured Thiago Santos, fighting his way back from a three-fight losing streak that included a close split decision loss to Jon Jones for the title, against Johnny Walker, who had been on his own turbulent run.
Santos won a tight five-round decision (48-47 x3) in a fight that generated less action than expected given both fighters’ reputations for finishing. The co-main event between Kevin Holland and Kyle Daukaus ended in a No Contest following an accidental headbutt at 3:43 of round one. All four performance bonuses went to prelim fighters — the first time since UFC 255 in 2020 that no main card bout earned bonus money.
Contents
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, October 2, 2021
📍 Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, USA (UFC Vegas 38)
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ (UFC on ESPN+ 51)
🏆 Main Event: Thiago Santos vs. Johnny Walker — Light Heavyweight (5 rounds)
✅ Result: Thiago Santos def. Johnny Walker via Decision (Unanimous) (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
🥇 Champion: Title not on the line | Santos first win since Feb 2019 | His first decision win since 2018
The Build-Up
Thiago Santos entered FN 193 on a three-fight losing streak that had derailed what had been one of the most explosive careers in the light heavyweight division. His losses came against Jon Jones (split decision, UFC 239), Glover Teixeira, and Aleksandar Rakić — all legitimate top-10 opponents. Santos had last won in February 2019 with a win over Jan Błachowicz. He needed a result badly.
Johnny Walker had experienced his own volatility: meteoric early wins, including a viral octagon celebration, followed by back-to-back losses to Nikita Krylov and Ion Cutelaba. He bounced back with a KO win over Ryan Spann but was fighting for the first time in a year at FN 193. The co-main featured Kevin Holland, who had been outwrestled in consecutive bouts, against Kyle Daukaus.
Main Event: Santos vs. Walker
Thiago Santos defeated Johnny Walker by unanimous decision 48-47 on all three scorecards across five rounds in a fight that was low on the fireworks fans had anticipated given both fighters’ knockout reputations. The opening rounds were cautious — both men circling and measuring without committing. Walker had a marginal edge in total strikes landed (48-44), but Santos was more accurate and did the bulk of his damage to the head and body.
Santos edged the late rounds and the judges unanimously awarded him the win. It was his first victory since February 2019 and the first time in his career that he had needed more than three rounds to win a fight. Both fighters were subsequently listed on medical suspension.
Co-Main Event: Holland vs. Daukaus (No Contest)
The Kevin Holland vs. Kyle Daukaus middleweight bout was ruled a No Contest at 3:43 of round one after an accidental headbutt left Holland unable to continue. During a clinch exchange, the two fighters clashed heads and Holland sustained a cut and was visibly affected. The ringside physician determined he could not safely continue and the bout was waved off. It was the 5th No Contest in UFC competition in 2021.
Full Results
Main Card
Thiago Santos def. Johnny Walker — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 5, 5:00) | 48-47 x3 | Santos first win since Feb 2019
Kevin Holland vs. Kyle Daukaus — No Contest (Accidental Headbutt) (Round 1, 3:43) | 5th NC in UFC in 2021
Niko Price def. Alex Oliveira — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00) | 29-28 x3
Krzysztof Jotko def. Misha Cirkunov — Decision (Split) (Round 3, 5:00) | 29-28, 29-28, 28-29
Alexander Hernandez def. Mike Breeden — KO (Punch) (Round 1, 1:20) | Breeden missed weight (158.5 lbs)
Preliminary Card
Casey O’Neill def. Antonina Shevchenko — TKO (Punches) (Round 2, 4:47) — Performance of the Night
Jamie Mullarkey def. Devonte Smith — TKO (Punches) (Round 2, 2:51) — Performance of the Night
Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Gaetano Pirrello — KO (Punch) (Round 1, 2:04) — Performance of the Night
Alejandro Perez def. Johnny Eduardo — Submission (Armbar) (Round 2, 4:13) — Performance of the Night | First scarf hold armlock in UFC history
Karol Rosa def. Bethe Correia — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3) | 30-27, 30-27, 30-26 | Correia missed weight (138.5 lbs)
Jared Gordon def. Joe Solecki — Decision (Split) (Round 3)
Bonuses & Awards
No Fight of the Night bonus was awarded. All four Performance of the Night bonuses went to preliminary card fighters — the first event since UFC 255 (November 2020) where no main card bout earned bonus money.
🏆 Performance of the Night: Casey O’Neill ($50,000) — TKO of Antonina Shevchenko, Round 2, 4:47
🏆 Performance of the Night: Jamie Mullarkey ($50,000) — TKO of Devonte Smith, Round 2, 2:51
🏆 Performance of the Night: Douglas Silva de Andrade ($50,000) — KO of Gaetano Pirrello, Round 1, 2:04
🏆 Performance of the Night: Alejandro Perez ($50,000) — Armbar of Johnny Eduardo, Round 2, 4:13
Records & Milestones
🥊 The Holland-Daukaus no contest was the 5th accidental foul NC in the UFC in 2021, a year that had already seen an unusual number of fights ended by eye pokes and head clashes.
🥊 This was the first event since UFC 255 (November 2020) where no main card bout earned bonus money. All four bonuses went to prelim fighters.
🥊 Alejandro Perez’s submission of Johnny Eduardo was achieved via the first officially recorded scarf hold armlock in UFC history, a rare submission technique that produced a notable statistical footnote for the promotion.
🥊 Casey O’Neill was noted in the post-event facts as already making a mark in record books — at 22 years old, she was among the youngest UFC women’s flyweight finishers in the promotion’s history.
Legacy & Impact
UFC Fight Night 193 was a card where the prelims outperformed the main card in terms of excitement. Santos’ win was meaningful for his career narrative — stopping a three-fight losing streak — but was notable for its unexpectedly measured nature. The Holland-Daukaus NC extended 2021’s unusual record of accidental foul stoppages and deprived fight fans of a result they wanted to see.
The card is also notable for being one of the early showcase events for Casey O’Neill, who went on to become one of the most technically gifted and rapidly improving women’s flyweights in the division. Her TKO of Antonina Shevchenko — who was considered a legitimate veteran — established her credentials immediately.
FAQ
Why was Santos’ FN 193 win so significant for his career?
Santos had not won since February 2019, and the three losses before FN 193 — against Jones, Teixeira, and Rakic — had progressively eroded his standing in the division despite being high-quality opponents. His FN 193 win ended the drought. It was also the first time in his career he had gone five rounds to win, and only the second decision win of his career.
What happened in the Holland-Daukaus no contest?
During a clinch exchange at 3:43 of round one, Holland and Daukaus collided heads accidentally. Holland was left with a significant cut and was visibly impaired. The ringside physician examined the injury and ruled he could not safely continue. Referee Jason Herzog stopped the bout and it was officially declared a No Contest under the accidental foul regulations.
Who is Casey O’Neill?
Casey O’Neill is a Scottish-Australian women’s flyweight known for her Muay Thai background and aggressive finishing style. Born in Scotland but raised in Australia, she became one of the most talked-about prospects in the women’s flyweight division. At FN 193, she was just 22 years old and already being discussed as a future title contender. Her TKO of Antonina Shevchenko — sister of champion Valentina — was a significant result.
Why is the Holland-Daukaus NC significant in the context of 2021’s accidental fouls?
2021 was an unusually high year for No Contest results in the UFC. By FN 193, there had been five accidental foul stoppages in the year: three eye pokes (Edwards-Muhammad, Alan Patrick-Mason Jones, and Fili-Pineda) and now two head clashes (Yan-Sterling at UFC 259 was a deliberate illegal knee, not accidental — but Rozenstruik had also been involved in a stoppage). The frequency of NCs prompted discussion about officiating, rule enforcement, and fighter technique.
What was historic about Alejandro Perez’s submission at FN 193?
Alejandro Perez’s finish of Johnny Eduardo was recorded as the first official scarf hold armlock in UFC competitive history. A scarf hold (kesa gatame) armlock is a rare submission applied from a specific top position that puts extreme pressure on the shoulder and elbow. The technique’s UFC rarity made the finish a minor statistical landmark for the promotion’s records.
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