Valter Walker vs Kennedy Nzechukwu Full Fight – UFC on ESPN 70

Valter Walker defeated Kennedy Nzechukwu via submission (heel hook) at 0:54 of Round 1. The heavyweight bout took place on July 12, 2025, during the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Teixeira (also known as UFC on ESPN 70) at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

• The Opening Blitz: Valter Walker came out aggressively at the sound of the bell, immediately moving forward to throw heavy strikes and force Kennedy Nzechukwu onto the defensive. 

• The Takedown and Transition: Nzechukwu attempted to weather the early storm but quickly found himself defending a takedown attempt against the cage. As Walker threatened to take Nzechukwu’s back, he intentionally slipped off the hips and dropped straight to the canvas. 
• The Submission: Walker immediately isolated Nzechukwu’s leg, trapping him against the fence. The positioning of the cage prevented Nzechukwu from executing standard leg-lock defense mechanisms, like rolling through to alleviate pressure. Walker tightly torqued his signature heel hook, forcing Nzechukwu to tap out just 54 seconds into the first round. 

With this victory, Valter Walker became the first heavyweight in UFC history to secure three consecutive wins by way of a heel hook submission. He previously defeated Junior Tafa and Don’Tale Mayes using variations of the exact same leg lock. His performance earned him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.