Vitor Petrino Rips Valter Walker: 'That Guy Is a Clown'
Vitor Petrino fires back at Valter Walker, calling him a clown and saying he's asked the UFC for the fight several times.
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Vitor Petrino says he has called for a fight with Valter Walker "several times" and does not understand why the UFC has not made it happen, firing back after Walker mocked his decision win over Serghei Spivac as boring.
Petrino (15-2) beat Spivac by unanimous decision on Aug. 22 to push his win streak to four fights and climb further into the heavyweight rankings. Walker (16-1), also a ranked UFC heavyweight, posted a photo from that fight on social media and called it boring. Petrino did not let it slide.
What did Vitor Petrino say about Valter Walker?
Petrino did not hold back when asked about his fellow Brazilian's comments. "That guy is a clown. Nobody respects him. I don't even want to talk about him much," Petrino said. He added that the callout is nothing new on his end: "I've asked for that fight several times and I don't know why the UFC hasn't made it happen."
Petrino also used the moment to draw a contrast in styles and ambition. "Unlike him, who has already said he's not interested in fighting the top guys, I like challenging myself," Petrino said. "I'll fight anyone in the Top 10. I love to challenge myself."
This is not the first time the matchup has come up. Petrino's coach, Cristiano Marcello, has previously said Petrino accepted a challenge from Walker, meaning the fight has been on the table from Petrino's side for a while without a booking materializing.
Why Valter Walker is a live threat regardless of the trash talk
Walker has won five straight, and every one of those finishes has come by leg-based submission, four of them heel hooks. That is a specialist skill set that has carried him into UFC heavyweight rankings territory, and it is exactly the kind of style that can turn a betting favorite into an underdog the moment the fight touches the mat. Petrino, by contrast, just grinded out a decision over a durable veteran in Spivac, showing he can win rounds standing and control without needing a highlight finish. If the UFC ever does make Petrino vs. Walker, expect books to treat it as a stylistic puzzle rather than a mismatch: Petrino likely opens as the betting favorite given his ranking momentum and finishing variety, but Walker's heel hook threat means live-underdog and "fight to go the distance" markets would carry real value given how live his leg entries have proven against ranked opposition. Until the UFC actually books it, there is no line to point to, but this is the kind of grudge matchup that tends to move oddsmakers once it is made official.
Nothing has been scheduled for either heavyweight at this point. Petrino has made clear he wants Walker next, and with both men trending up the rankings, the pressure on the UFC to finally make the fight is building.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Vitor Petrino say about Valter Walker?
Vitor Petrino called Valter Walker a "clown" and said nobody respects him, after Walker mocked Petrino's decision win over Serghei Spivac as boring.
Has Vitor Petrino vs. Valter Walker been booked?
No, the fight has not been booked by the UFC as of this report, though Petrino says he has requested the matchup multiple times.
What is Valter Walker's win streak built on?
Valter Walker has won five straight fights, all by leg-based submissions, including four heel hooks.
