{"id":831708,"date":"2026-07-29T17:25:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T17:25:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/831708\/"},"modified":"2026-07-29T17:25:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T17:25:14","slug":"valter-walker-talks-back-and-forth-with-josh-hokit-says-next-opponent-will-depend-on-ufc-contract-negotiations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/831708\/","title":{"rendered":"Valter Walker talks back-and-forth with Josh Hokit, says next opponent will depend on UFC contract negotiations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Josh Hokit didn\u2019t seem all that impressed by Valter Walker\u2019s fifth straight submission in the UFC, when he tapped out Thomas Petersen in under two minutes at UFC Abu Dhabi, and Walker was quick to respond on social media<\/a>. Walker, who called Hokit \u201csmall\u201d<\/a> prior to his recent bout, said he won\u2019t engage more on a verbal back-and-forth with the undefeated heavyweight until he sees a clear path to an actual fight with him.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s on a higher ranking than I am right now. I\u2019m one tier below him,\u201d Walker told MMA Fighting. \u201cBut if I win my next fight, and he loses his next one, we\u2019re going to meet. There\u2019s nowhere to run. That\u2019s a fight I\u2019d like to have, but I understand that, at the moment, he\u2019s one tier above me. There\u2019s not much I can do. I\u2019m not going to force a fight that I know doesn\u2019t make sense for the promotion. I know they won\u2019t give it to me, and I know he won\u2019t accept it. So, rather than building expectations among the fans for something that might not happen, I\u2019m going to hold off and wait. When I take my shot, it\u2019ll be the right shot at my next opponent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walker stopped his previous five opponents in the opening round, a calf slicer finish over Peterson preceded by four heel hooks. Walker is aiming for a quick turnaround at UFC 333, scheduled for Oct. 24 in Abu Dhabi, or an unannounced UFC Qatar card in November.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs for opponents, I don\u2019t know yet,\u201d Walker said. \u201cWhy? Because nobody has been offered to me, and we haven\u2019t talked about money either.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walker, who turns 29 in December, told MMA Fighting<\/a> this past week he hoped to re-negotiate his contract with the promotion with a win on July 25. That hasn\u2019t happened yet, Walker said, but is expected now that he has one bout left in his current deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to go crazy and ask for a ranked opponent if I don\u2019t even know what my purse is going to be,\u201d Walker said. \u201cIf it\u2019s a generous offer, great, give me a top-ranked guy. But if it\u2019s just an average offer, then it has to be an average opponent, you know? I\u2019ve built a name for myself. I\u2019m a guy who delivers. I\u2019m a guy who says what he\u2019s going to do and then does it. If I say I\u2019m going to take the foot, I grab the foot. I\u2019m someone who interacts with the fans, takes pictures with everyone. I do my part for the company.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt all depends on what\u2019s being offered. It\u2019s supply and demand. But regardless of what they offer me, I\u2019ll accept. At the same time, now that I\u2019ve made a name for myself in the sport, I can be a little selective and choose an opponent whose style favors mine so I can keep winning.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for his constant leg attacks in the octagon, Walker doesn\u2019t plan on changing one bit for as long as it\u2019s working.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to keep doing what\u2019s favorable for me until someone can stop my leg attacks, stop the different variations, and force me to show my striking,\u201d Walker said. \u201cIf the guy can\u2019t defend anything, can\u2019t do anything, and I can win in 10 seconds, man, then I\u2019m going to win in 10 seconds. Now, if he can defend everything, then credit to him, we\u2019ll stand and trade and you\u2019ll get to see what you\u2019ve been asking for. That\u2019s not my problem, that\u2019s my opponent\u2019s problem. You should be sending messages to him.\u201d<\/p>\n