The UFC’s return on July 12 may feature some heavy hitters but there’s one fighter who has a remarkable recent track record when it comes to submissions.
Of the 12 fights that are set to take place at UFC Nashville, three of them are in the heavyweight division, including the main event.
The promotion’s record holder for knockouts will look to add one more to his list when Derrick Lewis takes on Tallison Teixeira on July 12.
Former NFL player Austen Lane will welcome Vitor Petrino to the division as both men look to rebound from defeats in their last outings.
Alongside those two matchups, the first heavyweight clash of the evening sees a Brazilian competitor try to continue his winning streak after earning two remarkable victories inside the Octagon.
Fan won $25,500 after betting on Valter Walker to win via heel hook at +5000 odds
Valter Walker debuted in the UFC in April of 2024 where he suffered a decision loss to Lukasz Brzeski at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
While his brother, Johnny Walker, may be known for his unpredictable striking skills, Valter has proven himself to be a submission threat in recent times.
His first win inside the Octagon came at UFC 305 last August where he beat Junior Tafa via heel hook in the opening round.
Walker returned earlier this year with a second trip to the Apex where one fan decided to take a punt on him being able to replicate this rare submission, especially for the heavyweight division.
Matty Betss on X got +5000 odds on the Brazilian submitting Don’Tale Mayes on February 15 only for the fight to once again end in a first-round heel hook.
The lucky fan even recorded his reaction to Walker pulling off the submission, leaving fans on social media stunned after he won $25,500 off of a $500 bet.
- READ MORE: UFC Nashville staff picks include Tallison Teixeira to beat Derrick Lewis and more predictions
One fighter missed weight ahead of UFC Nashville
23 of the 24 fighters who were matched for UFC Nashville hit the mark at the Friday weigh-ins on July 11, including Valter Walker and his opponent, Kennedy Nzechukwu.
Derrick Lewis even came in lighter than usual having spoken about the changes that he has made ahead of fight night which have allowed him to get in better physical shape.
The one weight miss was Chidi Njokuani, who was 0.5 pounds over the welterweight limit of 171 pounds for his bout with Jake Matthews.
Njokuani also missed weight for his last fight against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, but with an hour to cut the additional weight, it seems likely that he will avoid a fine.
At the time of writing, Njokuani hasn’t attempted his second weigh-in.