Johnny Walker rules out UFC fight with brother Valter Walker
Days before headlining UFC Vegas 124, the Brazilian says he would never hurt his own blood and explains why his brother can’t stay at his house
Johnny Walker told MMA Fighting in an interview published Monday that he would not fight his brother Valter Walker in the UFC. The Brazilian, who headlines UFC Vegas 124 against Waldo Cortes-Acosta on Saturday in Las Vegas, said the violence of the sport has no place between family.
Johnny Walker’s answer on fighting his brother
The question gained weight once Johnny moved up to heavyweight in October. Valter, his younger half-brother, already competes in the division and sits at No. 11 in the official UFC rankings.
Johnny dismissed the idea right away. “No, man. Am I going to fight my own brother? Are you crazy?” he said. “I go in there to hurt other people. I don’t want to hurt my own blood, you know?”
Speaking with reporter Guilherme Cruz, he explained that a fighter walks in wanting to hurt the other man and can’t stop to think about that man’s family. Every fighter accepts that risk, he said, but a relative is different. “Unless the guy is completely crazy, and I’m not that crazy,” he added.
The Walker brothers’ family feud
The tension between them has spilled into public before. In February, after submitting Zion Clark in a submission-only match at Karate Combat 59 in Miami, Valter called out his brother. “It’s time to show who the true demigod is,” he wrote, according to Brazilian outlet Itatiaia, adding that Johnny doesn’t know the heel hook.
In the interview, Johnny said the two have been close and trained together in Russia. The friction, he said, came from Valter’s jokes and behavior online, which upset their mother and Johnny’s wife.
That’s why he keeps some distance from a brother he calls “a loose cannon,” though he has seen improvement lately. Valter is 28, and Johnny believes he will grow up by 30.
The house rule is simple. Valter can train with him during fight camps, but he has to sleep somewhere else. “He can rent a hotel room and stay at a hotel,” Johnny said. “He just can’t come into my house.” He still closed on a warm note: “I accept him the way he is, and I love him the way he is.”
The family’s knockout artist and its submission specialist
Their records show how unusual a brother-against-brother fight would be. Johnny is 23-10 with one no contest and 18 wins by knockout. Valter is 16-1 with six submissions, four of them heel hooks.
Valter’s latest victim was Thomas Petersen, caught in a calf slicer at 1:32 of the first round in July. Petersen is also on Saturday’s card, facing debuting Brazilian Gabriel Lorenço.
Valter also made headlines in October for another reason: Alex Pereira said he ran from a sparring session and offered his purse for it, and Valter fired back by asking for a plane ticket.
The Cortes-Acosta fight at UFC Vegas 124
Johnny landed the main event after Sean Brady pulled out with an infection, which left Gabriel Bonfim without an opponent. He comes in off a first-round knockout of Mick Parkin at 3:35 at UFC 332 on Oct. 3, his heavyweight debut.
Across the cage will be Cortes-Acosta, a 17-4 fighter from the Dominican Republic ranked No. 6, who is coming off unanimous decision losses to Alexander Volkov and Curtis Blaydes.
Virna Jandiroba, who is already eyeing a Mackenzie Dern trilogy, meets Tatiana Suarez in the co-main event. Eleven Brazilians are on the card, which airs on Paramount+. The prelims start at 5 p.m. ET and the main card at 8 p.m. ET.
Would you want to see the Walker brothers in the Octagon, or is Johnny right to shut the door? Let us know in the comments.
Read more:
- Valter Walker fires back at Alex Pereira over sparring dare
- Gabriel Bonfim loses Sean Brady, UFC hunts for a replacement
- Virna Jandiroba targets Mackenzie Dern trilogy in early 2027
