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UFC’s Newest Signing Thrown Into the Fire—Debut Fight Against Ranked Opponent

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Aldon | Last updated Feb 17, 2025 11:41 AM ET

The light heavyweight division is one of the shallower divisions in the UFC, with some fighters in the top 15 rankings having fewer than five fights in the promotion. In divisions that may lack depth, it is not too abnormal for a fighter to get signed and immediately matched up with a ranked opponent.

This is exactly the case with the recent signing of Julius “Juice Box” Walker, who will make his UFC debut against the No. 15-ranked Alonzo Menifield to open up the main card of UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song.

Walker has an impressive résumé with wins against opponents who have competed in Dana White’s Contender Series, Bellator, and GLORY Kickboxing. He has made a splash on the regional scene, winning titles across different promotions and boasting an undefeated 6-0 professional record, with all victories coming by way of finish.

In addition to a successful MMA career, Walker was also an NCAA Division II basketball player.

While Menifield is no slouch, he has suffered knockout losses in his last two UFC bouts. Menifield will have to dig deep against the newcomer, Walker, who will undoubtedly try to add Menifield to his highlight reel and maintain his impressive undefeated record.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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