Johnny Walker moves to heavyweight, faces ex-PFL talent at UFC Belgrade

For the first time in his Ultimate Fighting Championship career, Johnny Walker will not have to cut weight for a fight.

Towering 6-foot-5 Brazilian striker Walker (22-10, 1 NC) has elected to move back to heavyweight, a division in which he competed at for a few years earlier on in his career but no later than 2018. Cutting a massive amount of weight and reportedly walking around at 245 pounds or so, the 34-year-old has not missed weight since joining the promotion. He relocates up in weight, per MMA Mania on Thursday, to face Ante Delija (26-8) at UFC Belgrade on Aug. 1. Opponent Delija has since confirmed the pairing on his Instagram Stories on Friday.

Walker has struggled as of late, winning once in his last five outings. Since a no contest with future champ Magomed Ankalaev in 2023—and a rematch less than three months later that spelled disaster for Walker—Walker has gotten his raised a single time when he stopped surging Mingyang Zhang with leg kicks and punches. Most recently, he and Dominick Reyes combined for three lackluster rounds at UFC 327, with the former title challenger getting the split nod. As a professional, the Brazilian has earned 20 of his 22 victories inside the distance.

Trouble walking, or walking trouble?

Like Walker, foe Delija has fallen on hard time in his last few outings. While the man known as "Walking Trouble" burst onto the scene in his return to the promotion from the Professional Fighters League last September, exacting revenge against Marcin Tybura with a two-minute knockout, his fortunes have dulled since then. Two months after stopping Tybura, the Croatian was thrust into an opportunity against rising heavyweight , and he was turned away in four minutes. A decision defeat to in February put Delija on the first losing streak of his career.