Valter Walker continues to impress within the UFC heavyweight division, gathering his third straight heel hook end by tapping out Kennedy Nzechukwu in below 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 a substitute 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 comfortable as a result of I received and acquired the bonus and a brand new contract, however I used to be sad with my despair,” Walker informed MMA Combating. “I assumed I might be extra calm. The second I threw a jab and he held my glove, that stunned me. I assumed he was going to stroll backwards. I began working and chasing him, and that was a critical mistake.
“If he was extra skilled, somebody ranked within the high 10, he would have knocked me out, little question. That’s a mistake I need to return to the health club and prepare. 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 world was packed, all that noise. It was a foolish mistake I’ve to repair. I’m glad I used to be capable of repair that mistake shortly.”
Walker is open to returning to motion as early as September, presumably competing on the UFC Paris card, or the next month on a deliberate Battle Evening 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 stage,” Walker mentioned. “Like I mentioned earlier than, I don’t need to be there now. I don’t. I’m saying this time and again, I don’t need to be ranked now. I’m not prepared. If I can maintain on for a 12 months and a half, two years, cool, then I could be on the rating. If I’m going to the rankings now, I’ll be upset. That may be in opposition to my will.”
The UFC won’t give him that therapy given the shortage of stars within the heavyweight class at this time, and as a substitute guide him in opposition to somebody ranked between 11 and 15. Walker believes he can have a vibrant 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 mentioned. “Now, if they need me to go to the rating and win one battle 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 need to be aligned so I can attain my full potential as an athlete and provide it to the corporate. I imagine I can provide them my best potential, a greater Valter, however I want time to work on that Valter. I attain provide the UFC a greater model of me, I simply want time to evolve. If they’ve persistence, I can turn out 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 predominant occasion bout with Derrick Lewis at UFC Nashville. Lewis, the document 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 this time holds a document of 7-6 with one no-contest within the promotion.
“I used to be very unhappy that [Teixeira] misplaced,” Walker mentioned. “I believed he would get previous Derrick, I informed him that, however then what? ‘You’re solely 25 and also you’re within the high 8. Who’re you going to battle within the high 8? There are solely badasses there and also you’re 25. You’ll be able to’t battle 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 perhaps he recovers and beats Derrick? Sure, we’ll by no means know. However you must keep along with your toes on the bottom and battle your actuality. A sensible man is aware of his limits. I can’t say one thing like, ‘I’ll do that and that,’ figuring out I can’t. I can’t mislead myself. I’ve to be sincere with myself.”
“I’m going to say one thing I’ve by no means mentioned earlier than,” he continued. “My brother went to the UFC and had three knockouts and all people was like, ‘He’ll beat Jon Jones.’ Brother, Jon Jones solely fought champions and ex-champions his total life. Johnny beat three cans. The one actual one was Khalil Rountree. We went to Russia to coach at the moment and so they provided him Corey Anderson. My coach informed him, ‘Man, you’re not prepared for Corey Anderson. You higher say you’re not prepared. Not but.’ After which one other coach mentioned, ‘No, he’s prepared. He’ll beat Corey Anderson after which battle Jon Jones and turn out to be champion.’ When he mentioned that, all of the Russians began laughing. They’re sincere. Johnny felt offended, you realize? F*ck, however they are saying the reality and you are feeling offended. Why folks mislead make your eyes glow, you prefer it. And then you definately get screwed and everybody disappears, you realize?”
Walker made weight for UFC Nashville sporting a cowboy hat and holding two rubber toes round his neck to consult with his heel hook finishes, and mentioned he deliberate to have them for the face-offs and walkout earlier than his spouse referred to as him. She suggested him in opposition to 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 battle.
“Once you begin to develop and turn out to be well-known, earn a living, it’s regular to have that ego,” Walker mentioned. “You begin to assume you’re one of the best. You’ll be able to’t change with these round you. It’s worthwhile to hear folks as a result of they’ll set limits. All people has flaws, however it is advisable have the failings which might be acceptable. You’ll be able to’t cross a line. My brother is a very completely different man at this time. 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 when you’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’d assume they have 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 battle week is loopy, they make you’re feeling like a star. The followers, the world, photoshoots, interviews. You must be very mature in any other case it goes unhealthy.”
