{"id":828679,"date":"2026-07-27T06:37:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T06:37:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/828679\/"},"modified":"2026-07-27T06:37:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-27T06:37:12","slug":"valter-walker-has-warning-for-heavyweights-after-ufc-abu-dhabi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/828679\/","title":{"rendered":"Valter Walker has warning for heavyweights after UFC Abu Dhabi"},"content":{"rendered":"July 26, 2026, 7:40 p.m. ET<\/p>\n
Valter Walker met the media Saturday after his win over Thomas Petersen at UFC\u00a0Fight Night 282.<\/p>\n
Walker (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has announced to the world at this point that he\u2019s coming to take his opponents\u2019 feet home with him. So to close out the prelims at\u00a0Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, he did essentially that to Petersen (11-5 MMA, 3-4 UFC) with just the fourth calf slicer in UFC history.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Walker, the younger brother of longtime UFC fighter Johnny Walker, lost his promotional debut in 2024 by decision. After that, he had four straight heel hook finishes. And when he was about to do the same to Petersen, and Petersen tried to find a way to scramble out of it, Walker simply switched to another way to make Petersen tap to save his leg.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re ready for the heel hook, I have a variation to find a way to win the fight,\u201d Walker told the UFC after the fight. \u201cIf the fight is on the ground, be careful. I will surprise you every time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walker now has five straight wins at heavyweight, all by submission, all in the first round. And while a title shot isn\u2019t a realistic expectation, the strange state of the division right now, coupled with Walker\u2019s relative youth at 28, could mean he\u2019ll be a top contender for years to come.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why he wants to be back when the promotion brings UFC 333 back to Abu Dhabi in October. He fought at that event last year and heel hooked Louie Sutherland in the first round for a bonus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI just want to relax a little bit now, take a holiday with my wife \u2013\u00a0but I want to fight again in October here. I\u2019ll talk to my manager and find out who\u2019s next,\u201d Walker said.<\/p>\n
Check out Walker’s post-fight interview in the video above.<\/p>\n
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