Valter Walker continues to impress within the UFC heavyweight division, accumulating his third straight heel hook end by tapping out Kennedy Nzechukwu in beneath a minute at UFC Nashville. With a $50,000 bonus cashed and three fast stoppages, Walker refuses to let the hype take management of his future.
As an alternative of calling for a top-ranked opponent subsequent—which might be cheap contemplating how shallow the UFC heavyweight class is in the meanwhile—Walker asks for time to construct confidence and expertise.
“I’m very completely happy as a result of I received and bought the bonus and a brand new contract, however I used to be sad with my despair,” Walker advised MMA Preventing. “I believed I might be extra calm. The second I threw a jab and he held my glove, that shocked me. I believed he was going to stroll backwards. I began operating and chasing him, and that was a severe mistake.
“If he was extra skilled, somebody ranked within the prime 10, he would have knocked me out, little question. That’s a mistake I wish to return to the health club and practice. I’ve a ton of wrestling, I don’t know why that occurred. I don’t know if it was lack of expertise or me being immature as a result of the sector was packed, all that noise. It was a foolish mistake I’ve to repair. I’m glad I used to be in a position to repair that mistake rapidly.”
Walker is open to returning to motion as early as September, probably competing on the UFC Paris card, or the next month on a deliberate Combat Night time present in Rio de Janeiro. He want to face the “very powerful” undefeated prospect Mario Pinto, not a top-ranked foe.
“I do know the highest 10 guys are on an entire different degree,” Walker stated. “Like I stated earlier than, I don’t wish to be there now. I don’t. I’m saying this again and again, I don’t wish to be ranked now. I’m not prepared. If I can maintain on for a yr and a half, two years, cool, then I could be on the rating. If I am going to the rankings now, I’ll be upset. That may be towards my will.”
The UFC won’t give him that remedy given the shortage of stars within the heavyweight class at present, and as a substitute e book him towards somebody ranked between 11 and 15. Walker believes he can have a shiny future if handled with persistence, and it’ll all rely on how the UFC sees him.
“If they need me to be a heavyweight star, they’ll have persistence,” Walker stated. “Now, if they need me to go to the rating and win one combat and lose 4 and get minimize and nobody is aware of who I’m anymore, they’ll throw me up there. It’s their alternative. There’s nothing I can do. I’ll dance the music they play. However our plans should be aligned so I can attain my full potential as an athlete and supply it to the corporate. I imagine I can supply them my best potential, a greater Valter, however I want time to work on that Valter. I attain supply the UFC a greater model of me, I simply want time to evolve. If they’ve persistence, I can grow to be a star.”
Walker cites Tallison Teixeira and his personal brother Johnny Walker as examples. Teixeira was solely 1-0 within the UFC—a 35-second knockout over Justin Tafa in February—when he was provided a foremost occasion bout with Derrick Lewis at UFC Nashville. Lewis, the report proprietor for many knockouts in firm historical past, coincidentally completed Teixeira in simply 35 seconds. Valter’s brother Johnny had a meteoric rise within the UFC with a trio of knockouts earlier than dropping to Corey Anderson, and at present holds a report of 7-6 with one no-contest within the promotion.
“I used to be very unhappy that [Teixeira] misplaced,” Walker stated. “I believed he would get previous Derrick, I advised him that, however then what? ‘You’re solely 25 and also you’re within the prime 8. Who’re you going to combat within the prime 8? There are solely badasses there and also you’re 25. You may’t combat them but.’ And he didn’t get by means of Derrick. It’s an entire different muscle mass, an entire different knockout energy, an entire different expertise. The stoppage was early, however what if he didn’t cease it? What if one other hand lands? ‘Xicão’ might be f*cked now.
“Or possibly he recovers and beats Derrick? Sure, we’ll by no means know. However it’s a must to keep along with your ft on the bottom and combat your actuality. A smart man is aware of his limits. I can’t say one thing like, ‘I’ll do that and that,’ understanding I can’t. I can’t misinform myself. I’ve to be trustworthy with myself.”
“I’m going to say one thing I’ve by no means stated earlier than,” he continued. “My brother went to the UFC and had three knockouts and everyone was like, ‘He’ll beat Jon Jones.’ Brother, Jon Jones solely fought champions and ex-champions his complete life. Johnny beat three cans. The one actual one was Khalil Rountree. We went to Russia to coach at the moment they usually provided him Corey Anderson. My coach advised him, ‘Man, you’re not prepared for Corey Anderson. You higher say you’re not prepared. Not but.’ After which one other coach stated, ‘No, he’s prepared. He’ll beat Corey Anderson after which combat Jon Jones and grow to be champion.’ When he stated that, all of the Russians began laughing. They’re trustworthy. Johnny felt offended, you recognize? F*ck, however they are saying the reality and you’re feeling offended. Why individuals misinform make your eyes glow, you prefer it. And then you definitely get screwed and everybody disappears, you recognize?”
Walker made weight for UFC Nashville carrying a cowboy hat and holding two rubber ft round his neck to confer with his heel hook finishes, and stated he deliberate to have them for the face-offs and walkout earlier than his spouse referred to as him. She suggested him towards the thought, saying it was time to remain centered and never joke round as a result of he be the one to “undergo the results” had he misplaced the combat.
“Once you begin to develop and grow to be well-known, earn a living, it’s regular to have that ego,” Walker stated. “You begin to assume you’re the perfect. You may’t change with these round you. It is advisable to hear individuals as a result of they’ll set limits. Everyone has flaws, however you’ll want to have the issues which can be acceptable. You may’t cross a line. My brother is a very totally different man at present. He’s nonetheless a bit lunatic, however he’s extra mature now. I inform him the reality and he listens, and I hear when he tells me the reality.
“I don’t know for those who’ve ever heard of this story however I imagine it was in Greece, the warrior king would have a slave strolling behind them murmuring, ‘You’re only a man.’ Kings would win wars and be handled as gods after which they might assume they had been unbeatable, however would at all times have a slave reminding them, ‘You’re only a man.’ I feel that’s crucial for an athlete, particularly one within the UFC. A combat week is loopy, they make you are feeling like a star. The followers, the sector, photoshoots, interviews. You must be very mature in any other case it goes unhealthy.”
