Overview

• UFC announced the heavyweight bout for Oct. 11 at Rio’s Farmasi Arena, adding to a card headlined by Charles Oliveira vs. Rafael Fiziev.
• Walker, born in Rio and now fighting out of Moscow, has rebounded from his UFC debut loss with three straight first-round heel-hook submissions.
• Usman, the younger brother of former champion Kamaru Usman, won The Ultimate Fighter 30 and is 4-2 in the UFC after a decision over Hamdy Abdelwahab in Azerbaijan.
• ClutchPoints currently lists Walker vs. Usman on the UFC Rio prelims, scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
• Cageside Press notes Walker is ranked No. 14 at heavyweight while Usman is unranked, framing the bout as a developmental test within the division.