Southend-on-Sea's, Walter Gahadza, is ready to win the Hexagone MMA title
After a lifetime of dedication, 'The Sniper' is prepared to cement his legacy as one of the greatest British fighters of all time
Last updated 28th Feb 2023
On March 11, Walter Gahadza will collide with Aymard Guih in Poitiers, France for the vacant Hexagone MMA welterweight title, and the natural-born fighter is ready to make a statement.
Born in Zimbabwe, 'The Sniper' always looked destined for stardom. From an early age, he gravitated to sports, with football being at the forefront of his life.
He told Greatest Hits Radio Essex: "I've got two older brothers, so we used to go out a lot and play football. It was very popular out there, so we were surrounded by it.
"And that always inspired me to want to do something sport related. I like athletics. I used to sprint; I used to do the 100-metre sprint. And that really translated well into fighting."
At just 14, Gahadza's life changed forever when he moved to Southend-on-Sea, Essex.
Initially, the transition proved tough. Having grown up in Africa, he struggled with the freezing English winters and talking in a different accent to his peers. However, in a testament to his resilience, rather than hide in the shadows, he continued to play sport and eventually found martial arts.
But things didn't start off as he'd have liked.
The professional fighter recalled: "Uh, it's pretty rough. It's not about the weight difference. The weight has nothing to do with combat. It's all about IQ and, obviously, technique.
"So the first time I ever set foot in an MMA gym, I grappled with a 15-year-old. I was about 14 stone.
The young man was like 11 stone, and I was put in a submission. That was a clear sign that I needed to learn the art. It just made me appreciate it. So I went back the next week, and it's led up to this world title opportunity."
After dedicating his life to the sport, Gahadza, developed at an incredible speed, with all facets of his game transcending that of nearly every martial artist on the British scene.
His powerful kicks, supreme fighting IQ and undeterrable will to win, made him an almost unstoppable machine. He dominated every opponent that dared stand in his way, amassing an incredible 16-0 record.
However, with the sport being such a cruel mistress, eventually Gahadza had to lose.
He confessed: "I was very hungry. I still am. Of course, I'm still very competitive. I wanted to just keep competing. Competition is something that's built in me. I believe it should be in many people naturally. But it's something that I do very well.
"But you never learn from your wins. You learn more when things don't go your way. So yeah, it was great to ride that 16-0 record.
"However, there's always someone; there's always an athlete out there who's gonna be working hard to try and take that away from me."
From, this point, the MMA star, lost seven of his next nine fights. But while this level of adversity could've crushed the dream of even the sturdiest competitors, Gahadza, never stopped believing in his potential.
Maintaining the confidence that he still had all the tools to make it to the pinnacle of the sport, the powerhouse, revitalised his career by moving to Great Britain Top Team, and the decision has proved to be worth its weight in gold.
In his next outing, Gahadza dismantled tough competitor, Robert Oganesyan, finishing him via Rear-Naked Choke inside the opening round.
The incredible performance sent shockwaves through the fighting world, with competitors across the globe taking note that the Englishman was undeniably back to his best.
Subsequently, Gahadza has secured his shot at the Hexagone MMA title, against one of the best athletes in Europe.
Born in the Ivory Coast and fighting out of France, Aymard Guih has proved his top-level ability by winning the promotion's middleweight championship. And now he's ready to claim his second strap.
But Gahadza can't wait to spring the upset.
He predicted: "He's experienced, he's tough. But he won't last in there with me; that's just how I envision it. My team at Great Britain Top Team is one of the best up-and-coming teams in the world, and we're ready to take over."