Walker Calls Fast Heavyweight Rise "God's Plan" Ahead of UFC Vegas 124 Headliner

Johnny Walker's heavyweight run is moving much faster than he planned, and the Brazilian says he has made his peace with that. Walker headlines UFC Vegas 124 against Waldo Cortes-Acosta on Saturday, just a month after his heavyweight debut, and admits he would have preferred a slower path through the division. "I was thinking to take small steps and go slow in the division," Walker said at media day. But when the UFC called, he did not hesitate. "I wanted to work my way up slowly, but my plans are not God's plans, and if it happens, it's because of God's plans." The call came last Thursday, nine days before fight night, after the original main event between Sean Brady and Gabriel Bonfim fell apart when Brady withdrew with a staph infection in his knee. Walker, 34, accepted immediately, leaning on the form that saw him knock out England's Mick Parkin with a knee in the first round at UFC 332 in October, a bonus-winning performance in his first fight above 205 pounds. A win over Cortes-Acosta would push Walker into the heavyweight top 10 in only his second outing at the weight. Cortes-Acosta, ranked sixth at 17-4, comes in on two straight decision defeats to Alexander Volkov and Curtis Blaydes, and has promised to go straight at Walker from the opening bell. The five-round main event takes place at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on Saturday, November 7, with the main card starting at 8 p.m. Eastern on Paramount+.