After a brutal KO at the hands of Carlos Prates, Li Jingliang is out two months. But one UFC 305 suspension is potentially longer.
Everyone who fought this past Saturday at UFC 305 has been given medical suspensions after their bouts, though several were just for mandatory rest periods.
Of note, Li Jingliang, who suffered one of the most brutal knockouts in recent memory at the hand of Carlos Prates, will be out for 60 days. Plus, Casey O’Neill, who took a decision from Luana Santos on the prelims, has a 6-month suspension unless she gets clearance from a doctor to return sooner.
The event, which took place at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, was headlined by a middleweight title bout between champion Dricus Du Plessis and former champ Israel Adesanya.
Thursday, MMA Junkie acquired a full list of medical suspensions from the commission at the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries of Western Australia, which oversaw the event. Check out that full list below. It’s important to note fighters can return prior to the conclusion of the full term if they are cleared by a doctor (unless noted otherwise).
Jesus Aguilar def. Stewart Nicoll
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 18: Stewart Nicoll of Australia is checked by medical staff after being defeated by Jesus Aguilar of Mexico during the Flyweight Bout against during UFC 305 at RAC Arena on August 18, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
[autotag]Jesus Aguilar[/autotag]: 15 days mandatory rest
[autotag]Stewart Nicoll[/autotag]: 30-day suspension
[autotag]Jack Jenkins[/autotag]: 15 days mandatory rest
[autotag]Herbert Burns[/autotag]: 30-day suspension
Casey O’Neill def. Luana Santos
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 18: Casey O’Neill of Australia celebrates after her Women’s Flyweight fight against Luana Santos of Brazil during UFC 305 at RAC Arena on August 18, 2024 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
[autotag]Casey O’Neill[/autotag]: 180-day suspension unless cleared by doctor
[autotag]Luana Santos[/autotag]: 15 days mandatory rest
[autotag]Valter Walker[/autotag]: 15 days mandatory rest
[autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag]: 15-day suspension
Carlos Prates def. Li Jingliang
China’s Li Jingliang (in red) is knocked out by Brazil’s Carlos Prates in their men’s welterweight division event of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 305 at the Perth Arena in Perth on August 18, 2024. (Photo by COLIN MURTY / AFP) / — IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE — (Photo by COLIN MURTY/AFP via Getty Images)
This brotherly drama with Walter and Johnny Walker and Junior and Justin Tafa might just be getting started.
PERTH, Australia – [autotag]Valter Walker[/autotag] beat Junior Tafa with a first-round technical submission Saturday to close out the preliminary card at UFC 305 at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
Take a look inside the fight with Walker, whose win was controversial since Tafa didn’t tap – but yelled out in pain from a heel hook, which led to the stoppage – and a post-fight cheap shot slap from Tafa.
Now Walker wants Tafa’s brother Justin Tafa next after Junior Tafa called out Walker’s brother Johnny. It’s a complicated brotherly journey, but check out the video of Walker’s full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 305.
Dricus Du Plessis received a card-high $42,000 in Promotional Guidelines Compliance at UFC 305.
PERTH, Australia – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC 305 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $243,500.
The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.
UFC 305 took place at RAC Arena in Western Australia. The main card aired on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
The full UFC 305 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
* * * *
[autotag]Dricus Du Plessis[/autotag]: $42,000
def. [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag]: $32,000
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
Disagreement and anger was plentiful when the UFC 305 featured prelim ended in verbal submission.
Bad blood boiled over after a yelp marked the end of the UFC 305 featured prelim.
[autotag]Valter Walker[/autotag] defeated [autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag] by verbal submission due to a heel hook at 4:56 of Round 1. Referee Steve Perceval called a stop to the heavyweight fight Saturday at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia as Walker (12-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) rolled Tafa (5-3 MMA, 1-3 UFC), who yelled out in pain.
Tafa took exception to the stoppage. He mouthed off with Walker and eventually slapped him. Security stepped between the two fighters are they and their teams exchanged words. Tafa flipped the bird at his opponent during the official decision before Walker cut a pro wrestling-esque promo during his in-cage interview.
Despite Tafa’s protest, and some confusion from ESPN commentators Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz, the Unified Rules of MMA define a verbal submission as “when a contestant verbally announces to the referee that he or she does not wish to continue; or makes audible sounds such as screams indicating pain or discomfort.”
As the replay showed, Tafa screamed, which resulted in Perceval’s decision.
The win is Walker’s first in the UFC after an unsuccessful debut vs. Lukasz Brzeski in April. Walker is the younger brother of UFC light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker.
Tafa has now lost back-to-back fights. He is the younger brother of UFC heavyweight Justin Tafa.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 305 results include:
Valter Walker def. Junior Tafa via verbal submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 4:56
Check out the best photos from Valter Walker’s first-round technical submission win over Junior Tafa at UFC 305.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Valter Walker[/autotag]’s first-round technical submission win over [autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag] at UFC 305 at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. (Photos by Paul Kane and Colin Murty, Getty Images; UFC; MMA Junkie)
Feb 15, 2020; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Tyrese Maxey (3) dribbles the ball against the Ole Miss Rebels in the first half at Rupp Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
The UFC’s return to Australia in August continues to build with the addition of two new fights.
The UFC’s return to Australia in August continues to build with the addition of two new fights.
Australia’s own [autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag] (5-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) is set to take on [autotag]Valter Walker[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at heavyweight. And at featherweight, Australia’s [autotag]Josh Culibao[/autotag] (11-3-1 MMA, 3-3-1 UFC) meets [autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag] (16-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC). UFC officials announced the new bookings late Sunday.
UFC 305 is set for Aug. 17 at RAC Arena in Perth (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).
Tafa will be looking for a return to the win column after a second-round TKO loss to Marcos Rogerio de Lima at UFC 298 in February. Walker, from Brazil, needs a rebound, too. After a 11-0 start to his MMA career, Walker made his promotional debut in April, but dropped a decision to Lukasz Brzeski.
Culibao is working off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career. Nearly a year ago, he lost a decision to Lerone Murphy. In March, he dropped a split call to Danny Silva. Ramos has back-to-back setbacks, too – but both of his came by first-round guillotine choke submission. Charles Jourdain tapped him this past September, and Julian Erosa got him in March.
The latest UFC 305 lineup now includes:
Champ Dricus Du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya – for middleweight title
UFC Fight Night 240 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.
LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 240 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $162,500.
The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.
UFC Fight Night 240 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.
The full UFC Fight Night 240 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:
Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2401 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.
In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.
Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:
“UFC Fight Night 240: Allen vs. Curtis 2” – $162,500
For years, Valter Walker used the alias “Ignacio” to hinder comparisons to his brother Johnny. Now in the UFC, he’s using his real surname.
The story goes a tad differently depending on who you ask to tell it. One verbal account paints a picture – until the tale is interrupted halfway through when a detail is disputed.
“He kicked my face,” [autotag]Valter Walker[/autotag] interjected, as his brother [autotag]Johnny Walker[/autotag] halted his recollection of their first-ever professional training experience together.
Johnny, with a big grin, tried to push back a little, “It was just boxing.”
“No,” Valter said, also smiling. “… This guy kicked my face. … My first training with professional guys, he came in to do sparring. He kicked my face. I started to cry. Bro, I don’t know. I don’t want to cry. I started to cry and I ran to the cage. I ran to the toilet and started to cry. He went in the toilet and said, ‘Stop crying. Come back to the sparring.’ Bro. I had five rounds of sparring, crying. What the f*ck?”
It’s all in good fun, of course.
In the mid-2010s, Johnny and Valter lived in England. Johnny was on the brink of a Dana White’s Contender Series opportunity that would skyrocket his popularity. Conversely, Valter was going to law school and working in a restaurant. MMA was not the intention.
As Valter’s weight gained, Johnny convinced him to enter the training room in a full-on capacity. Valter had experience in amateur muay Thai and trained for exercise, but hadn’t actually trained to fight.
The fateful and emotional beating he took from his brother on Day 1 changed the course of his life, though it’s all laughs now. Fast forward a few years to the present, and Valter (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is days out from his debut at UFC Fight Night 240 against Lukasz Brzeski (8-4-1 MMA, 0-3 UFC).
“All these years, (Johnny) took care of me,” Valter said. “I live in Russia. We don’t live together, but we talk every day. He takes care of me. He helps me with my financials. I don’t make very big money. I make money just now. … He gives me advice in my training, my preparation, my everything. … In this moment, I’m more mature. It’s the moment I come out from the shadows.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvtorQ3IBmv/
Though their bickering is constant and sometimes breaks out into playful grappling and pro-wrestling-esque choreographed striking exchanges, occasionally in public places with an increased level of intensity that worries bystanders, the brotherly love is palpable.
Valter is six years younger than Johnny. Half-brothers, they grew up in separate homes in Brazil. They shared the same father but not the same mother.
Despite the age gap and location gap, Valter always admired Johnny. On their off-days from school, Johnny would come over and the two would hang out.
“He was strong and fast,” Valter said. “He was six years older than me. It was like a kid to a teenager. My brother is a bigger teenager, and he was f*cking strong and fast. He can do a lot of stuff, like cool stuff. I saw this, and I was like, ‘Wow, I want to be like my brother. I want to be stronger. I want to know how to fight.’ He said, ‘You’re fat. You need training.’ I started training workouts, like gym training. After this, I was like, ‘I want to train all the time very hard to show my brother. Now, I’m more strong. I want to show results for him.’
“… My father and my mother didn’t want me to follow my brother. Sometimes, I’d come with my black eye, or I’d hurt something, and they don’t want me following my brother. Other times, they’d push me for studying, not for training. But all the time, my brother tried to motivate me, saying, ‘We need you training. This sport is for you because you’re very big.'”
Then the fateful beatdown in England transpired, but things only got better from there for Valter, who joined his brother in travels along the world. They lived in England together, then Thailand. They trained, ate, and hung out together. It was exactly what Valter dreamt of, as he grew up.
During their stint in Thailand, Valter met coach Gor Azizyan, another instrumental influence in the trajectory of his career. Valter later joined Azizyan’s GOR MMA in Moscow, where he now trains alongside fellow UFC fighters Shara Magomedov and Bogdan Guskov.
The two Walkers officially separated their training, as Valter went to Russia and Johnny went back to Brazil, then Ireland. Johnny burst into the international spotlight in late 2018 and captivated the MMA world with a series of nasty knockouts to start his UFC tenure.
Meanwhile, Valter turned professional in 2020 – under an alias. Rather than Valter Walker, he went by Valter “Ignacio.” The Walker surname was known globally due to his brother’s fame, and Valter didn’t want the extra attention and expectations.
“I was (feeling) all the time big pressure because everyone know Johnny’s my big brother,” Valter said. “There was big pressure. Then, I preferred to hide into the shadows. But now it’s time for me to come out from the shadows. … Now it’s my time to make the name bigger. It’s time for my brother to come into my shadow. Now is my time to take aim.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct_5podA7ZR/
Should Valter handle business as he plans Saturday at the UFC Apex, the brothers like the idea of his next scrap being on the same card as Johnny (21-8, 7-5 UFC), who is scheduled to fight June 22 vs. Volkan Oezdemir (19-7 MMA, 7-6 UFC) in Saudi Arabia.
“I think it’d be cool, no?” Johnny said, with a glance toward Valter. “Maybe we’ll fight in Brazil once, our home country, or America. Any place in the world.”
Valter concurred, “If I don’t hurt nothing on this fight Saturday, I want to fight in Saudi Arabia with my brother. It would be very interesting for me to fight on the same card as my brother in Saudi Arabia. … I can make the first fight on the preliminaries. I train every day, bro. My camp is every day. This is my work. I’m ready. After this fight, if I can open the preliminaries in Saudi Arabia, I’ll be happy.”
All the UFC fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Jan. 1-7.
Did you know Johnny Walker has an undefeated heavyweight brother? His name is Valter and he’s set for his UFC debut.
[autotag]Valter Walker[/autotag] has his UFC debut set – again.
Approximately seven months after his promotional debut was initially scheduled, Walker (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will finally make his first walk to the UFC cage on April 6 vs. [autotag]Lukasz Brzeski[/autotag] (8-4-1 MMA, 0-3 UFC).
Both fighters recently confirmed the booking on social media after Walker’s coach, Gor Azizyan, announced it on Instagram.
Walker, 26, is the brother of Johnny Walker and a former Titan FC heavyweight champion. He has seven finishes including six TKOs and one submission in seven professional wins.
Brzeski, 31, looks to make the fourth time the charm. After a UFC contract-earning win on Dana White’s Contender Series (that was later overturned to a no contest due to his failed drug test) in 2021, Brzeski lost consecutive decisions against Martin Buday and Karl Williams before he was finished with strikes by Waldo Cortes-Acosta.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for April 6 includes:
