Johnny Walker rules out ever fighting brother Valter in the UFC: 'I'm not that crazy'

The UFC Vegas 124 headliner says his half-brother can train with him in any fight camp but "just can't stay at my house".

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Mon 2 Nov, 14:13 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Johnny Walker and Valter Walker pose together in cowboy hats after a UFC Fight Night in Nashville — Photo: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Johnny Walker has ruled out ever fighting his half-brother Valter Walker, telling MMA Fighting he is not "crazy" enough to take that fight, days before he headlines UFC Vegas 124.

"No, man. Am I going to fight my own brother? Are you crazy?" Johnny said. "I go in there to hurt other people. I don't want to hurt my own blood, you know?"

"But doing that to your own brother, someone who shares your blood, there's no way," he added. "Unless the guy is completely crazy — and I'm not that crazy."

The pair have trained together in Russia in the past. Johnny said of Valter: "He's 28. I think by the time he turns 30 he'll mature, and then I'll be able to count on him more. But we do talk, we're good, everything's fine. I just have to keep a little distance because he's a loose cannon [laughs]."

Johnny is open to more sessions together, as long as Valter stays somewhere else. "[We can train] whenever he wants," he said. "He can already come train with me if he wants to help me out during any fight camp. He just can't stay at my house. My wife won't let him in [laughs]. But training? That's fine. He can rent a hotel room and stay at a hotel."

Johnny fights Waldo Cortes-Acosta on short notice in Saturday's main event in Las Vegas, replacing the welterweight bout between Gabriel Bonfim and Sean Brady after Brady withdrew injured. It is his second fight at heavyweight, after he knocked out Mick Parkin with a flying knee at UFC 332 in October. Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba meet in the co-main event.

Valter is on a five-fight win streak, with all five wins by first-round submission.

In this story

Johnny Walker Valter Walker Gabriel Bonfim Sean Brady Mick Parkin Tatiana Suarez Virna Jandiroba