With a legendary career already locked away in the history books, Walter Gahadza, is looking to put the cherry on top of the cake by picking up the Hexagone MMA championship belt.
On March 11, ‘The Sniper’ collides with Aymard Guih at the Futoroscope Arena in Poitiers, France. And with his opponent coming down from the weight class above, the Brit knows the difficulty of the challenge ahead of him. But after years of graft, he’s more than confident that the moment to define his legacy has finally arrived.
Born in Zimbabwe, Gahadza gravitated towards sport, idolising football legends like Eric Cantona. And upon his arrival in Essex, aged 14, he showed a particular talent for the 100-metre sprint.
But with fighting blood coursing through his veins, the natural-born warrior was always going to find MMA at some point.
Through his supreme athleticism, he began to eclipse everyone in the gym, before proving himself to be one of the best competitors in the UK.
Walter Gahadza has had a remarkable journey to Hexagone MMA 7
Through his sensational skills and unrelenting fighting heart, the gifted athlete accumulated an incredible 16-0 record. And despite eventually coming up short in three consecutive contests in BAMMA, his exciting style caught the eye of Bellator, who made the easy decision to sign him to the promotion.
After not winning a contest for two years, he knew his career was on the line and when it mattered most, he rose to the occasion.
Unsurprisingly, Gahadza proved Bellator’s judgement correct with a stunning victory over Kent Kauppinen, finishing his rival via Rear-Naked Choke. The historic moment meant everything to the fighter, who cried with joy as his team piled into the cage to celebrate.
Moreover, it showcased his supreme spirit and drive to follow his dreams.
Riding a wave of momentum, the dynamic fighter claimed another big scalp, with a win over Eden Crawford. In a tremendous display, he rendered his opponent unconscious via a head kick followed by ruthless ground and pound.
But after the win, the MMA star suffered a four-fight skid. However, while many athletes would lose faith, the African-born sportsman never did. After moving to the UK, Gahadza suffered the hardship of speaking in a different accent to his peers and acclimatising to the freezing cold English weather. Consequently, having always triumphed over adversity, the 35-year-old believes he’s capable of achieving anything.
Therefore, when he flew to Dusseldorf, Germany, to battle it out with Robert Oganesyan, he knew the key to his return to the pinnacle of the sport lay right in front of his eyes.
Seizing the moment, Gahadza bagged an awe-inspiring submission victory, sending shivers down the spines of his rivals.
And subsequently, he caught the eye of France’s number-one MMA promotion.
Walter Gahadza speaks exclusively to SPORF before his Hexagone MMA title fight
Reminiscing over his time in Bellator and EMC, Gahadza told SPORF: “I had five fights for Bellator. It was a great experience in a major promotion, something I always envisioned myself being a part of.
“I have memories that money definitely can’t buy. It gave me the IQ that I have now. The experience I had in EMC was great too. I’ve gone up against tough individuals, especially in Bellator. I was fighting the best guys in the world.”
Clearly back to the peak of his powers, Gahadza has earned his shot at the Hexagone MMA welterweight title. And he’s confident that it’s his hand that will be raised on Saturday night.
He claimed: “A knockout would be great. I always expect to go out there and get a TKO victory or knockout. I’m open to all angles. If there is a submission there, I’ll be all over that. But the bout starts standing up, and I’m one of the most dangerous men to be standing on the feet with.”
Therefore, with the Southend-on-Sea representative clearly relishing the moment, this is a war that combat sports enthusiasts can’t afford to miss.
British fans can watch Gahadza’s shot at glory at Hexagone MMA 7 live and exclusively on BT Sport. Furthermore, international viewers will be able to catch all the action via DAZN.
Read: Hexagone MMA: Meet the President of one of Europe’s best promotions (sporf.com)
Featured Image Credit: Walter Gahadza