Valter Walker of Brazil is scheduled to fight Thomas Petersen at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, July 25. The heavyweight bout takes place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. Walker enters the match with four consecutive UFC victories, all by submission.
Walker won his last four fights by heel hook. He submitted Junior Tafa in the first round at UFC 305 in August 2024. He followed with a first round heel hook against Don'Tale Mayes in February 2025. In July 2025 he submitted Kennedy Nzechukwu in the first round. His most recent win came against Louie Sutherland by heel hook in the first round at UFC 321 in October 2025. These four consecutive heel hook finishes set a UFC record for successive heel hook submissions. Walker also shares the mark for the most heel hook victories in UFC history with four.
Walker holds an overall professional record of 15-1. He stands 6 feet 6 inches tall and competes in the heavyweight division. The 28 year old fighter is known for his grappling work on the ground. Petersen enters the fight with a record of 11-4.
The bout is part of the preliminary card for UFC Fight Night 282. The main event features Magomed Ankalaev against Bogdan Guskov. The event streams on Paramount+ with the main card scheduled for 12 p.m. ET. Prelims begin earlier in the day.
Walker has spoken about his approach to the heel hook in past interviews, focusing on applying pressure during the technique. He returns to action after recovering from a leg injury sustained in his October 2025 fight. The matchup pairs Walker’s recent submission streak with Petersen’s experience in the heavyweight division.
The card also includes other bouts such as Steve Erceg versus Ramazan Temirov and Islam Dulatov versus Wellington Turman. Walker’s fight against Petersen is listed on the preliminary portion of the schedule. Both fighters are set to weigh in ahead of the July 25 event in Abu Dhabi.