Valter
Walker has issued a warning to his heavyweight peers in the

Ultimate Fighting Championship for when the fight hits the
mat.

The Brazilian submission specialist continued his remarkable streak
at
UFC Abu Dhabi, forcing a tap from Thomas
Petersen with a rare calf slicer in the first round. This
marked only the fourth successful calf slicer in Octagon history
and extended Walker’s streak of sub victories to five straight.

Valter Walker says he has an answer when opponents defend his
heel hook.

Walker (16-1) secured four consecutive wins via heel hooks going
into UFC Abu Dhabi and added yet another leg-based submission
conquest to his record with his victory over Petersen. “The Foot
Hunter†later explained that the finish came after his American
counterpart successfully defended the heel hook.

“If you're ready for the heel hook, I have a variation to find a
way to win the fight,†Walker said in a post-fight interview. “If
the fight is on the ground, be careful. I will surprise you every
time.â€

Walker has six submission wins overall, in addition to just as many
knockouts. His current streak of first-round submissions paves the
way for a high-profile matchup next, which he's targeting for
UFC
333 in October, also slated for Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

“I just want to relax a little bit now, take a holiday with my wife
— but I want to fight again in October here,†Walker added. “I'll
talk to my manager and find out who's next.â€

“If the fight is on the ground, be
careful.”

Valter
Walker collects his fifth-straight submission victory at

#UFCAbuDhabi and gives his prediction for today’s main
event.

Prelim Results âž¡ï¸ https://t.co/unjXsOEd6u@VisitAbuDhabi
| @InAbuDhabi |

#InAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/EvEu52mV4f

— UFC News (@UFCNews)
July 25, 2026

Dakota
Ditcheva is trying to forget about her hand injury as she
prepares to return to action in the
Professional Fighters League.

The unbeaten British standout meets former Bellator
kickboxing champion Denise
Kielholtz on July 31 at UBS Arena on Long Island, New York,
marking her return after suffering a broken hand against Sumiko
Inaba in 2025, an injury that sidelined her for more than a
year.

Dakota Ditcheva discusses confidence struggles before PFL fight
with Denise Kielholtz

Despite a 100% physical recovery from her injury, Ditcheva still
struggles with the mental aspect of returning to competition. She
recently admitted that the biggest hurdle has been regaining
complete confidence in her repaired hand, especially having
undergone reconstructive surgery.

“You have to try and forget about it,†Ditcheva said about her
recovery after the surgery. “I'm doing everything I was doing
before it was broken, so for now, it's just the mind. I don't have
any evidence to suggest the hand isn't as strong as it was before;
I'm hitting just as hard as I was before.â€

Ditcheva also claimed that she occasionally feels “nervous†before
training sessions.

“When I get ready for training in the morning, I'm nervous,†the
PFL star added. “But that's what makes me go and those feeling are
what I live for every day.â€

The Summer of PFL rolls on! âž¡ï¸

The
#PFLSummerSeries continues straight into New York with the
return of undefeated Dakota
Ditcheva this Friday, July 31st against Denise
Kielholtz #PFLNY
| Friday, July 31st | 📺Prelims 4PM EST on the ESPN App | Main Card
7PM EST on ESPN pic.twitter.com/wsHRozzHYK

— PFL (@PFLMMA)
July 26, 2026

Daniel
Cormier isn’t letting Jon Jones
rewrite their rivalry.

The
Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Famer has dismissed
Jones’ recent claim that the two privately buried the hatchet while
filming a reality series in Thailand, insisting no such
conversation ever took place.

Daniel Cormier rejects Jon Jones’ reconciliation story

Jones recently told ALF Global that Cormier admitted their rivalry
was too lucrative for them to then publicly become friends, even if
there were no lingering issues between them behind the scenes.
“D.C.†rejected Jones’ version of events, insisting the
conversation never happened.

“That didn't happen,†Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “We did
not have that conversation… No. He's just my enemy all the time.
It just is what it is. It’s OK. As I have told you before, you can
go to bed at night with an enemy. You don't need the happy fairy
tale ending.â€

While Cormier acknowledged that their rivalry generated significant
paydays for both men, he stressed that the animosity was never
manufactured for business purposes. He compared their financial
success to other iconic combat sports rivalries, but maintained
that the bad blood between the pair was always genuine.

Cormier also admitted that time has eased some of the intensity,
saying the pair can now occupy the same room without immediately
wanting to fight. However, he insists there's too much history
between them for a friendship to develop. The UFC commentator also
questioned why Jones continues to revisit their rivalry.

“Generally, when you get older, you start to dislike people more,â€
Cormier added. “Jon Jones, I do still hate you and I always
will.â€