Valter Walker secretly helped teammate through financial hardship

UFC heavyweight Valter Walker has been quietly helping teammates behind the scenes for years, according to a story shared by training partner Muhammad Saidov.

Saidov, who recently made his UFC debut with a second-round stoppage of Dustin Jacoby at UFC Abu Dhabi, told Red Corner MMA that Walker repeatedly snuck cash into his kit bag when he faced financial trouble. The unbeaten Russian would return home from training sessions at Gor MMA, pull out his gear for laundry, and discover money Walker had slipped in without telling anyone. Walker also bought protein supplements for Saidov, never seeking recognition for the gestures.

Gor MMA teammate praises Walker's character

"I love Valter very much," Saidov said in the interview. "He is not selfish at all. He is a very kind and straightforward person. A friendly and vibrant person, he is always there to help. Even when I have some financial troubles, he secretly puts cash in my bag. I would come home from training, take my stuff out to do the laundry, and find some money in there. Once he bought some protein for me. And he does those things quietly."

Walker fought on the same UFC Abu Dhabi card, forcing Thomas Petersen to tap to a calf slicer just over 90 seconds into their heavyweight bout. The finish marked Walker's fifth straight submission victory and improved his record to 16-1. Gor MMA had three fighters on the July event, with Bogdan Guskov headlining against Magomed Ankalaev in a short-notice main event that ended in a fifth-round stoppage loss.

Walker and Saidov will likely return to action later this year as the UFC builds its heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Valter Walker’s teammate reveals UFC heavyweight’s secret acts of kindness