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Valter Walker not scared of ‘small’ Josh Hokit, unimpressed by Gable Steveson’s UFC debut: ‘I’ll take all of them’

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Valter Walker not scared of ‘small’ Josh Hokit, unimpressed by Gable Steveson’s UFC debut: ‘I’ll take all of them’

Valter Walker isn't sold on Josh Hokit and Gable Steveson as big threats in the UFC heavyweight division.

The Brazilian talent returns to the cage Saturday at UFC Abu Dhabi, battling Thomas Petersen after scoring four straight heel hook finishes in the octagon, and told MMA Fighting he would be gladly take on either Hokit or Steveson next with a win in the U.A.E.

“I don't think he's a tough fight for me,†Walker said of Hokit. “Honestly, I don't think he's the fighter people are making him out to be. Come on, he's small. I'm not intimidated by that guy at all. Gable Steveson, Josh Hokit. People say, ‘He's a monster, an Olympic wrestling champion.' Man, I watched Gable's debut, and I wasn't that impressed. I didn't get all the hype.â€

“Same with Josh Hokit,†he continued. “Fight fans don't really understand fighting, you know? He beat Curtis Blaydes, I think that's the biggest win of his career. He beat him convincingly, sure. But I still don't know how Curtis Blaydes lost to him like that.â€

Hokit is unbeaten in the sport, and 4-0 in the UFC, with the last two victories coming against Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis, while Steveson stopped Elisha Ellison in his octagon debut to improve to 4-0 as a pro.

“I'm not scared of Josh Hokit or Gable Steveson one bit,†Walker said. “If that's the next fight, bring it on. It can be Gable Steveson, Josh Hokit, Vitor Petrino. I'll take all of them. If I win this Saturday, book me against any of those guys next. I'll go right after them.â€

“I think if the two of us [Hokit and I] fought, it would have huge potential. We're talking co-main event or even main event, because of all the trash we'd talk to each other. We'd probably need security following us around. I really believe we have the potential to put on a great show for the fans.â€

Walker said he's unsure if Hokit would be willing to facing him next given his past wins over top-ranked Blaydes and Lewis during his absence to heal from a broken leg, but would be “a huge opportunity†for him.

The same goes for Steveson, who is surrounded by a hype for his past accomplishments in wrestling and the fact that he's coached by former UFC two division champion Jon Jones.

“That's how you catch a big fish, man,†Walker said of Steveson. “You go after guys with big egos, you know? That's usually how it works. I've seen it happen a lot. A guy says, ‘I'll beat that guy.' I'll use examples from my own experience. [Tallison Teixeira] used to say, ‘If I'm well prepared, I'll beat Pavlovich.' And what happened? My brother used to say, ‘I'm going to be the guy who beats Jon Jones.' I'm just using examples from my own reality, from what I've seen. Maybe Gable is thinking the same thing. ‘I'll beat this guy easily. He thinks he's going to get to my legs? I'll take him out.' That's the moment for me to make a name for myself. That's how the business works, right?â€

“Can you imagine? I beat [Steveson], climb on the cage, and spit in Jon Jones' face. Damn! People holding Jon Jones back while I'm screaming that I'm the GOAT and telling Jon Jones to go f*ck himself. All the hype would come my way. It's an opportunity. But I don't know if the guy's… Maybe he has a good manager. I know I have a good manager. But does he have one too? He probably does. If he doesn't, even better, that gives me an opportunity.â€

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Sean O’Malley: Yadong Song is a ‘problem’ for Merab Dvalishvili

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Sean O’Malley: Yadong Song is a ‘problem’ for Merab Dvalishvili
Sean
O’Malley believes Yadong
Song's win over Umar
Nurmagomedov warrants a title shot in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Song (24-9-1) pulled off a massive upset, flatlining Nurmagomedov
(20-2) with an uppercut in the second round of their
UFC Shanghai headliner. O'Malley believes Song will be a
“problem†for former champion Merab
Dvalishvili and claims the two should fight if the latter
reclaims the bantamweight title at
UFC 333.

Sean O'Malley wants Yadong Song to challenge Merab Dvalishvili
if he wins the UFC 333 trilogy

Dvalishvili takes on current champ Petr Yan at
UFC 333 on Oct. 24 in Abu Dhabi in a trilogy bout. O'Malley wants
Song to challenge Dvalishvili if the Georgian defeats Yan.

“I want to see Song vs. Merab,†O'Malley said on Instagram. “I've
been saying for a couple of years now, before I even fought Merab
— Song is a problem for Merab. If Merab wins the title, Song vs.
Merab.â€

O'Malley (20-3) beat Song via unanimous decision this past January.
The Chinese 135-pounder has since rebounded with wins over Deiveson
Figueiredo and Nurmagomedov. Meanwhile, “Suga†stopped Aiemann
Zahabi at
UFC Freedom 250 this past June and is campaigning for a title
shot if Yan retains the belt, having already beaten the Russian
previously.

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Brandon Jenkins explains wild journey to Mike Perry upset knockout: ‘I heard Nick Diaz got the call’

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Brandon Jenkins explains wild journey to Mike Perry upset knockout: ‘I heard Nick Diaz got the call’

ORLANDO, Fla.—Duel Arena main event winner Brandon Jenkins talks to MMA Fighting about the fight week that came out of nowhere and ended with him defeating BKFC star and UFC veteran Mike Perry.

Jenkins was victorious Saturday, earning a technical knockout stoppage on an injured Perry, just two days after receiving the call to replace Dillon Danis. Like Perry, Jenkins had recently appeared on the inaugural MVP MMA event this past May when he earned a split decision over Chris Avila, but he didn't expect a major opportunity to come along again so soon.

“I'm happy he brought me in here and he picked me, because I heard Nick Diaz got the call,†Jenkins said. “I also heard Tyron Woodley, and also heard Anthony Pettis, so I got picked, so I'm happy about that.â€

Watch more of Jenkins' chat with MMA Fighting, including a breakdown of his win over Perry and his hopes of getting a fight with Avila's close friend Nate Diaz next.

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Song Yadong calls knocking out Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Shanghai ‘the best moment of my life’

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Song Yadong calls knocking out Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Shanghai ‘the best moment of my life’

Song Yadong is riding high.

On Saturday, Song scored the biggest win of his career, knocking out Umar Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC Shanghai. Not only was it a huge upset win for Song, but it also put him right back into the title mix at 135 pounds, and it all happened in his home country. So afterward, “The Kung Fu Kid†was understandably ecstatic about the win.

“Amazing. I'm feeling amazing,†Song told UFC on Paramount+. “I feel like this is the best moment in my life, right now. I knocked out Umar. Everybody's saying he's the best fighter and he has very good grappling. Everyone's saying he's a future champion. See what happened? I knocked him out. I'm so proud of myself.â€

Song was a massive underdog heading into the fight, with many believing Nurmagomedov was the next bantamweight champion. However, Song stymied Nurmagomedov's grappling game in the first round, and in the second round, flattened the Russian fighter with an uppercut timed perfectly when Nurmagomedov changed levels for another takedown. Song said this was the plan from the beginning.

“Here I want to thank my team, Team Alpha Male, and Rudy Hernandez,†Song said. “Rudy is my boxing coach, and he told me before the fight, ‘You can finish this guy with an uppercut.' There was an uppercut in my mind I'm looking for. There! [Laughs].â€

The win makes it two in a row for Song since losing a decision to Sean O'Malley in January, and puts him on the shortlist for the next bantamweight title shot. Champion Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili are set to settle their rivalry with a trilogy bout at UFC 333 in October, with O'Malley potentially waiting in the wings for the winner. Song now seems to be next in line, meaning he could get another crack at Yan, who won a decision over him in 2024, and Song would love that.

“I like a rematch with Petr, because we fought back two years ago,†Song said. “I was too young; I was too rushed. But I feel like [I lost by] just a little bit. I can win that fight. So, if a rematch, I can also knock him out, I believe.â€

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