Valter Walker: Bogdan Guskov destined for UFC title

Valter Walker expects his Gor MMA teammate Bogdan Guskov to knock out Magomed Ankalaev in the second round at UFC Abu Dhabi and go on to become the gym's first UFC champion.

Guskov steps in on two weeks' notice to face Ankalaev in the July 25 main event after Khalil Rountree withdrew with an injury. Sportsbooks have installed Ankalaev as a heavy minus-500 favorite, but Walker told Red Corner MMA that the Uzbek heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight has the tools to pull the upset. "Bogdan is certainly a talent," Walker said, per Sherdog. "He's simply a machine. I think there's a great chance that he will shock the world."

Walker trains daily with Guskov at Gor MMA

The Brazilian heavyweight said his sparring sessions with Guskov inform his prediction. "I train with Bogdan every day, so I know what he's capable of," Walker said. Guskov has not lost in five straight outings since a submission defeat in his 2023 UFC debut, rattling off four finishes before battling Jan Blachowicz to a majority draw last December. Ankalaev lost the light heavyweight strap to Alex Pereira in their rematch, marking his second UFC loss after a finish in his promotional debut back in 2018.

Walker competes on the same card against Thomas Petersen in a heavyweight bout. The 15-1 Brazilian has won four straight by heel hook since dropping his UFC debut in 2024. Petersen brings an 11-4 record and a pattern of alternating results across six UFC appearances.

UFC Abu Dhabi goes down July 25 with the Ankalaev-Guskov main event airing live from Etihad Arena.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Valter Walker says Bogdan Guskov is destined to become UFC champion