Fight night at Karate Combat 59 already had a strange energy. An open-weight grappling contest. A UFC heavyweight infamous for ripping up legs. And across from him stood an athlete born without them. It didn’t seem like a usual battle. It looked like something people would debate before it even began.
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Valter Walker came in with momentum and a reputation of having won four straight fights via heel hooks and weighing 244 pounds. Zion Clark entered with something else entirely: curiosity, doubt, and a belief that he belonged there. What happened lasted only two and a half minutes, but it left a louder echo than most full-length fights.
Zion Clark earns praise despite first-round defeat against Valter Walker
Unlike what others expected, Zion Clark didn’t freeze or hesitate. Instead, he started fast, using his agility and unique leverage to take Walker’s back early in the exchange. For a moment, it looked chaotic in the greatest possible way. ‘The Clean Monster’ eventually took control and executed a rear-naked choke after opting against a more brutal crank, resulting in the tap.
The size difference had caught up. The result felt inevitable. However, the subsequent reaction was anything but cruel. “Aye, man, even being able to compete at this level is amazing. This guy has heart,” one fan commented. Another added, “At least he tried; respect 🫡.”
The admiration kept coming. “Zion is a real one ☝️,” a fan wrote. Another noted what really stuck out: “Regardless of his disability, he chooses to never give up and do what he loves.” One reply perfectly captured the sentiment: “I will always respect someone who goes out and tries despite whatever disadvantage they may have.”
Nonetheless, not everyone was pleased with the booking itself. “This is wrong, bro 😭,” one viewer wrote. “Why the f— was he in there with a heavyweight?” another person added. The weight difference became a talking point. “Isn’t there a clear 100+ pound difference?” one fan asked, while another concluded, “Just too much weight advantage.” For some, the heart didn’t erase physics.
UFC dövüşçüsü Valter Walker, bacakları olmayan rakibi Zion Clark’ı boğarak pes ettiriyor. pic.twitter.com/N4DJrY0VbU
— Cage Pulse (@Cage_PulseMMA) February 14, 2026
Then there was the humor that only fight fans can find in tense situations. Valter Walker, noted for his heel hooks, obviously couldn’t attack legs in the usual way. However, at times it felt like his muscle memory kicked in. As a result, keen-eyed fans jumped in with the jokes. “Homie pulled an imaginary leg lock 🤣,” one user quipped.
Another commented, “Not the imaginary heel hook 💀.” One even asked, “Did he really shoot for his legs?” And possibly the most appropriate quip of the night: “We can all agree this is an unfair fight; Zion is totally immune to leg locks.”
In the end, the result reads as a submission loss. And while Zion Clark did not win the match, he bravely walked into a spotlight that most people would avoid. That can sometimes be enough to change the tone from cynicism to respect—even in a sport that rarely hands out either so easily. So, now that the fight’s over, what’s next for the two?
Valter Walker and Clark let their futures be known
The jokes faded as the interviews began. Zion Clark didn’t sound disheartened. He made it obvious that openweight was a challenge, but his primary goal is to return to his natural category, where he believes he can properly compete and gain momentum. The heavyweight experiment was brief. His long-term plans lie elsewhere.
Valter Walker barely reflected on the match itself. Instead, he shifted the focus to a bold callout of his brother, Johnny Walker. Karate Combat boss Adim Zaidi suggested the idea of a grappling contest on the March 28 Russia card, but Walker seems to have bigger plans. He wants that kind of matchup inside the UFC, under brighter lights.
And that bigger stage is approaching quickly. Valter Walker returns to the Octagon next month to face #10-ranked Marcin Tybura in the biggest fight of his career. Before facing Zion Clark, he openly admitted that the leg-lock “kryptonite” problem concerned him more than Tybura does. That confidence has not changed.
He thinks Tybura will be the easier fight. Whether that is bold or reckless will be determined soon enough. For the time being, one man is returning to his division with pride intact, while the other is confidently diving into the seas of ranked heavyweight competition.