Latest news with #JuliusWalker
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Walker fights his way from Drury to the Octagon
SPRINGFIELD, Mo–After years of hard work, Julius Walker is ready for his UFC debut. Saturday night in Seattle, Walker, aka Juice Box, will step into the ring. The Springfield native has gone from the Drury basketball courts to the punishing world of Mixed Martial Arts. Ozarks First Chris Pinson reports Walker's climb to the top has been swift and impressive. It's a typical Saturday night at Billiards of Springfield. Patrons are playing pool and enjoying the vibe, while Julius Walker checks id's and scans the room. 'It's not a super crazy place where people are jumping around acting a fool. Luckily as the security guy it makes my job a little easier,' said Walker. Call it, the calm before the storm for Walker, who's about to willingly face the fight of his life. 'I got a message from my manager, can you make 205 next weekend? And I said yup, then there was a contract in my email within an hour,' said Walker. After training Mixed Martial Arts the past five years, the 25-year-old is about to live out every fighter's dream, when he enters the octagon and makes his ultimate fighting championship debut, Saturday night. 'I don't want to celebrate too soon, I haven't done anything yet. There's no point in training just to make it there, I'm training to make it to the top,' said Walker. The former Drury Panther basketball player is set to square off with Alonzo Menifield – #15 ranked light heavyweight in the world, on the main card at UFC Seattle. 'In some ways it feels like the culmination of a lot of hard work, but in more ways the beginning of something new,' said Walker. Walker's tempered enthusiasm isn't a lack of confidence, it's an appreciation of everything he and his team have worked for. 'The first day he sparred and trained, me and one of the other coaches yeah we can't let this kid leave. He's gonna be special,' said Walker's coach Brad Montgomery. 'To take someone with no fighting background and in 5 years get them to the level where they're fighting the best in the world, I think is a testament to what not only I do, but the other coaches, training partners and what we offer at Team Fusion,' said Montgomery. As the second-ranked light heavyweight fighter in the Midwest region, it was only a matter of time before Walker got his shot. But even with fame and fortune dangling in front of him, he's not blinded by temptation's bright lights. 'That can lead to making decisions that aren't necessarily the best for your career, so I've tried to keep a little bit of that mindset that I had in the late stage of my amateur career going into my pro career, too,' said Walker. When the bell rings, Walker will be ready to take destiny in his gloves and show the world, what makes Springfield's native son so dangerous. 'Whenever we step into the cage and we're getting ready to fight one another, you're as close to an animal as you'll ever be,' said Walker. In Springfield, Chris Pinson, Ozarks First. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
13-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC newcomers to battle Alonzo Menifield, Nursulton Ruziboev in Seattle
It's getting hard to keep track of the UFC Fight Night 252 lineup. In the midst of a slew of cancellations, the promotion added two new fights Thursday for the Feb. 22 event at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. As first reported by MMA Junkie and made official by the UFC shortly thereafter, Alonzo Menifield will welcome promotional newcomer Julius Walker to the cage in a light heavyweight bout. Additionally, Nursulton Ruziboev will move back to middleweight to battle promotional newcomer Eric McConico. That bout was first reported by MMA Mania. Menifield (15-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 UFC) was expected to face Oumary Sy at UFC Fight Night 255 on March 22 in London. However, Sy withdrew due to injury. Now back at Fortis MMA, Menifield aims to snap a two-fight skid. Walker (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) rides a regional career's worth of finishes and success into his promotional debut. He is the Synergy FC and Peak Fighting ligh heavyweight champion. Ruziboev (34-9-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) returns to middleweight after his first UFC loss, a unanimous decision dropped vs. Joaquin Buckley in March 2024. The bout will come one week after his brother, Mashrabjon Ruziboev debuts Saturday at UFC Fight Night 251 vs. McConico (9-2-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) was expected to headline Tuff-N-Uff 141 on Friday. An MMA Lab product, McConico has won five fights in a row. With the additions, the UFC Fight Night 252 lineup includes: Henry Cejudo vs. Song Yadong Brendan Allen vs. Anthony Hernandez Melsik Baghdasaryan vs. Jean Silva Rob Font vs. TBA Steve Garcia vs. TBA Ibo Aslan vs. Ion Cutelaba Andre Fili vs. Melquizael Costa Modestas Bukauskas vs. Rafael Cerqueira Javid Basharat vs. Ricky Simon Adam Fugitt vs. Billy Ray Goff Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Nick Klein Eric McConico vs. Nursulton Ruziboev Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
