Bad blood boiled over after a yelp marked the end of the UFC 305 featured prelim.
Valter Walker defeated Junior Tafa by verbal submission due to a heel hook at 4:56 of Round 1. Referee Steve Perceval called a stop to the heavyweight fight Saturday at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia as Walker (12-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) rolled Tafa (5-3 MMA, 1-3 UFC), who yelled out in pain.
Tafa took exception to the stoppage. He mouthed off with Walker and eventually slapped him. Security stepped between the two fighters are they and their teams exchanged words. Tafa flipped the bird at his opponent during the official decision before Walker cut a pro wrestling-esque promo during his in-cage interview.
Despite Tafa’s protest, and some confusion from ESPN commentators Daniel Cormier and Dominick Cruz, the Unified Rules of MMA define a verbal submission as “when a contestant verbally announces to the referee that he or she does not wish to continue; or makes audible sounds such as screams indicating pain or discomfort.”
As the replay showed, Tafa screamed, which resulted in Perceval’s decision.
WALKER FORCES THE VERBAL TAP 😳 #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/LlGj9Rf0WX
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 18, 2024
Tafa and Walker exchanged words after their bout ended in a submission. #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/liX8mcQD1z
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 18, 2024
The win is Walker’s first in the UFC after an unsuccessful debut vs. Lukasz Brzeski in April. Walker is the younger brother of UFC light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker.
Tafa has now lost back-to-back fights. He is the younger brother of UFC heavyweight Justin Tafa.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 305 results include:
- Valter Walker def. Junior Tafa via verbal submission (heel hook) – Round 1, 4:56
- Ricardo Ramos def. Josh Culibao via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Casey O’Neill def. Luana Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
- Jack Jenkins def. Herbert Burns via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 0:48
- Tom Nolan def. Alex Reyes via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Song Kenan def. Ricky Glenn via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 29-28)
- Jesus Aguilar def. Stewart Nicoll via technical submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 2:39
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 305.
