Walker warns Almeida walked into a trap facing 130kg Goncharov in Russia

Valter Walker believes his training partner Evgeniy Goncharov has the tools to derail Jailton Almeida’s comeback at ACA 207 on September 12 in Krasnodar, Russia — and he thinks the matchup was engineered with that exact outcome in mind.

Almeida, nicknamed “Malhadinho”, left the UFC following back-to-back losses and is looking to rebuild his record against Goncharov, a former ACA heavyweight champion. Walker, who now holds the distinction of being the top-ranked Brazilian heavyweight on the UFC roster after submitting his last five opponents, has been sparring with Goncharov in preparation and came away deeply impressed.

“I did three rounds with him yesterday. The guy is 40 years old and weighs 130 kilograms [286 pounds], completely lean,” Walker told Brazilian journalist Laerte Viana. “I had a perfect entry on his leg, but he defended the takedown like a wall. Malhadinho stands out in the UFC by taking people down, but how are you going to take down these 130-kilogram Chechen wrestlers? I think they set a trap for Malhadinho, so he leaves here traumatized and never wants to fight in Russia again.”

The warning cuts to the heart of what makes Almeida dangerous — and potentially vulnerable. His path to victory in virtually every high-profile bout has run through the takedown, and Walker’s first-hand account suggests Goncharov’s combination of mass and wrestling technique could neutralise that weapon entirely.

Goncharov’s size is not the only obstacle. Walker’s framing of the fight as a deliberate trap implies Almeida may also be stepping into an unfamiliar environment — fighting in Russia, in front of a partisan crowd, against a local hero who has spent decades honing his craft on the mat.

For Almeida, the stakes are significant. A loss in Krasnodar would extend his losing streak to three and raise serious questions about his future at the elite level. Walker’s comments, delivered with the authority of someone who has just felt Goncharov’s defensive wrestling up close, will do little to ease those concerns.