Valter Walker believes one of his teammates is going to be an Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder soon.
Walker’s friend and teammate, Bogdan Guskov, is scheduled to face Magomed Ankalaev in a light heavyweight outing, the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25. Guskov took the fight on 14 days’ notice after Ankalaev’s original opponent, Khalil Rountree, pulled out due to an injury.
Walker backs Gor MMA teammate ahead of short-notice fight with Magomed Ankalaev
Guskov is a big betting underdog going into the fight against Ankalaev, who is a massive -500 favorite on some sportsbooks. However, Walker is backing his friend to pull off a huge upset win over the former light heavyweight champion. The Brazilian heavyweight predicts that Guskov will knock out Ankalaev in the second round. He also believes Guskov will go on to become the first UFC champion from their gym, Gor MMA.
“Bogdan is certainly a talent,” Walker told Red Corner MMA. “He’s simply a machine. I think there’s a great chance that he will shock the world. I think he can definitely win. I think Bogdan is going to be our first UFC champion in Gor MMA. I think he might knock Ankalaev out in the second round… I train with Bogdan every day, so I know what he’s capable of.”
Guskov (18-3) hasn’t lost in five straight outings since suffering a submission loss in his UFC debut in 2023. The Uzbek 205-pounder scored four straight finishes before fighting former champion Jan Blachowicz to a majority draw this past December. Meanwhile, Ankalaev (20-2) lost his title to Alex Pereira in their rematch in his last Octagon outing, marking his second defeat in the UFC after he, too, was finished in his promotional debut back in 2018.
Walker (15-1) takes on Thomas Petersen (11-4) in a heavyweight matchup on the same card. “The Foot Hunter” has finished four straight fights with heel hooks since suffering his lone professional loss in his UFC debut in 2024. Meanwhile, Petersen has consistently alternated between wins and losses in his six UFC outings.
