Valter Walker not scared of ‘small’ Josh Hokit, unimpressed by Gable Steveson’s UFC debut: ‘I’ll take all of them’

Valter Walker is bullish ahead of his UFC Abu Dhabi bout against Thomas Petersen on Saturday, dismissing rising heavyweight threats Josh Hokit and Gable Steveson as overrated and expressing a willingness to face either next if he secures victory in the U.A.E.

The Brazilian grappler, who has strung together four consecutive heel hook finishes in the octagon, told MMA Fighting he remains unimpressed by the buzz surrounding both prospects. While acknowledging Hokit's undefeated 4–0 UFC record and notable wins over Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis, Walker questioned the legitimacy of those victories and dismissed concerns about the Olympic wrestling pedigree of Steveson, who debuted successfully against Elisha Ellison. "I'm not scared of Josh Hokit or Gable Steveson one bit," Walker said, adding that he would welcome a clash with either, as well as Vitor Petrino.

Walker believes a matchup against Hokit could draw significant mainstream attention due to their contrasting personalities and fighting styles, potentially warranting co-main or main event placement. He also framed a potential encounter with Steveson—currently coached by former two-division UFC champion Jon Jones—as a career-defining opportunity to capitalize on the hype machine surrounding the wrestling standout. Walker's reasoning hinges on a belief that Steveson and his team may underestimate him, creating an opening for Walker to establish himself as a legitimate threat in the heavyweight division and claim the spotlight.

The 30-year-old's confidence reflects the mentality required to climb the heavyweight ranks, where upsets and dismissals of emerging talent are commonplace. With four straight submissions to his credit, Walker has demonstrated the submission prowess to trouble even elite grapplers, and his willingness to call out top prospects suggests he believes his ground game gives him a stylistic advantage over the wrestling-heavy profiles of both Hokit and Steveson.