Valter Walker wrote his title within the historical past books by scoring consecutive heel hook finishes contained in the octagon, a primary for UFC heavyweights, and he needs to make that his factor.
Walker pressured Junior Tafa to stop within the first spherical of their UFC 305 battle in August 2024. Six months later, Don’Story Mayes fell in his entice and tapped simply 77 seconds into the battle. The Brazilian heavyweight returns to motion at UFC Nashville, taking up Kennedy Nzechukwu this Saturday evening, and revealed he seems to be as much as veteran Rousimar Palhares when he goes for finishes of that nature.
“‘Toquinho’ caught everybody with that transfer,” Walker informed MMA Preventing. “I watched his highlights since I used to be 14, 15 years previous. I’m such an enormous fan of his. I by no means anticipated to be recognized for this transfer, by no means anticipated to be in comparison with him. I’m his fan. He’s an idol to me. That’s one thing I did lots within the fitness center however by no means had the arrogance to do in a battle.”
Palhares, a UFC veteran and former World Collection of Preventing welterweight champion, scored submissions in 16 of his 19 MMA wins, together with 10 heel hooks. He grew to become a controversial determine within the MMA spare for allegedly holding submissions too lengthy, which led to his launch from the UFC and WSOF.
“I don’t assume anybody does it higher than me, particularly at heavyweight,” Walker mentioned. “When folks get too afraid of one thing, that’s what finally ends up occurring. [Nzechukwu] is unquestionably coaching that. I feel that can open extra holes for me to throw a hand or attempt one thing else. I consider he shall be so anxious concerning the takedowns and on the bottom that he’ll find yourself making a mistake, and that can give me a possibility.”
Walker mentioned it’s arduous to coach that transfer within the fitness center as a result of one second extra might end in severe damage, and for that purpose he has modified the way in which he practices the assault.
“I harm a buddy within the fitness center as a result of he tried to defend it and stopped rolling,” Walker mentioned. “He rolled, I rolled, after which I assumed he was going to roll once more however he didn’t. That transfer could be very harmful. After I do it within the fitness center and my pals defend it, that’s as a result of I didn’t apply pressure. I ended utilizing pressure within the fitness center after I harm this buddy of mine.”
Walker has grew to become a fan favourite within the Brazilian MMA area for his humorous posts on social media, and mentioned that some members of his group — even his spouse — tried to persuade him to create a scary persona as a substitute.
“I wished to behave like this imply man that may harm you, that places fears in others, however I’m not that man,” Walker mentioned. “My spouse and my coach need me to cease joking round and act so folks may be afraid of me, that I can go there and break everyone’s foot, but it surely’s not who I’m. I can’t try this shit.
“In Australia, [Tafa] talked a bunch of crap about me and I felt I might break his foot, however there’s one thing inside me, you recognize? I really feel unhealthy. He screamed and I let it go. The subsequent one [Mayes] solely tapped as soon as. You need to faucet thrice. He tapped as soon as and I might go and break his foot, however I really feel unhealthy. It’s such a severe damage in case you try this, you recognize? Life is a boomerang. You do one thing unhealthy to somebody, you pay the worth down the road. I consider in God, however I consider hell is on Earth too. You’ll pay the worth right here earlier than you die.”
