Walker On Hokit Fight Depending On UFC Contract

Valter Walker won't chase a fight with Josh Hokit until his UFC contract situation clears up.

Walker, who submitted Thomas Petersen in under two minutes at UFC Abu Dhabi last week, said Hokit sits one tier above him in the heavyweight rankings and that a matchup only makes sense if their trajectories shift. "If I win my next fight, and he loses his next one, we're going to meet," Walker told MMA Fighting. "There's nowhere to run."

Walker Targets October Return But Awaits New Deal

The Brazilian submission specialist is eyeing a quick turnaround at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 24 or an unannounced Qatar card in November, but opponent selection depends entirely on what the promotion offers for his final contracted bout. Walker said he hoped to renegotiate before fighting again but hasn't received numbers yet. "If it's a generous offer, great, give me a top-ranked guy," he said, per MMA Fighting. "But if it's just an average offer, then it has to be an average opponent."

Walker has stopped all five of his UFC opponents in the first round with leg submissions — four heel hooks and one calf slicer. He dismissed criticism of his one-note approach and said he'll keep attacking legs until someone forces him to strike. "If the guy can't defend anything, can't do anything, and I can win in 10 seconds, man, then I'm going to win in 10 seconds," Walker said.

The 28-year-old said he's built enough of a name to be selective about matchups while still accepting whatever the UFC puts in front of him. Walker's next move — and whether Hokit features in it — comes down to the contract offer that hasn't arrived yet.

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Valter Walker talks back-and-forth with Josh Hokit, says next opponent will depend on UFC contract negotiations | MMA Fighting