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Ranked UFC Heavyweight in Danger of Being Cut—Decision Looms

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Aldon | Last updated Feb 16, 2025 4:10 PM ET

Heel hooks are a rare submission in MMA, especially in the heavyweight division. But UFC heavyweight Valter Walker (younger brother of UFC light heavyweight Johnny Walker) just notched his second win in a row by way of heel hook this past weekend at UFC Fight Night 251 at the Apex in Las Vegas.

On the receiving end of the submission was No. 15-ranked heavyweight Don’Tale Mayes. Unfortunately for Mayes, this loss may be his last fight in the UFC.

The fight was straightforward, as Walker shot for a takedown within 30 seconds of the first round, got Mayes to the ground, grabbed hold of his leg, and forced him to tap once the grip was secured.

He wasted no time tonight ‍

Valter Walker gets the heel hook submission in round one #UFCVegas102 pic.twitter.com/JNMEJtKOUr
— UFC (@ufc) February 15, 2025

Mayes, now 33, has had an up-and-down record in his recent fights, with his last wins coming against Caio Machado and UFC legend Andrei Arlovski, both of whom were released within the past year. He has now suffered back-to-back losses and has dropped three of his last four fights.

Mayes was recently featured as the heavyweight entry for Athlon’s list of the most overrated fighters in every division. The heavyweight division, in particular, has a considerably shallow talent pool, and Mayes was bumped into the rankings after the UFC released multiple fighters in the division. Time will tell whether or not the promotion decides to cut him.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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