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And make no mistake about it: Walker wants to be champion, and intends to put his everything into accomplishing that goal, and more, over the next five years.
“I promised myself to invest the next five years, 100-percent committed to myself and my career,” began the towering Brazilian, who scored three straight first-round stoppage wins to begin his UFC career and rocket into relevance in the light heavyweight division.
Consecutive losses halted his ascent and injuries have been an ever-present issue for the high-motor, all-action competitor, who suffered a shoulder injury while doing “The Worm” inside the Octagon following his UFC 235 victory over Misha Cirkunov.
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He underwent another surgical procedure at the start of February after suffering a torn pectoral muscle preparing for a fight against Jimmy Crute at UFC 260. Now fully healthy and paying increased attention to injury prevention and listening to his body, Walker is eager to see what kind of results his new approach will yield.
“I had surgery seven months ago, and it taught me to feel my body, listen to my body, understand my body — when I can go, when I have to stop, when I have to rest,” began Walker, who carries an 18-5 record into his main event pairing with Santos on Saturday. “I like to fight, but this time that I took off, it was perfect for me.