When he was asked about what he is passionate about besides sports, Walter Gahadza answered with humor, “Actually, I’m not a very interesting person! I’m obsessed with MMA. It’s all I think about and I don’t have room for anything else.”

While he’s obviously not just a fighter, the Brit identifies himself largely with martial arts, and the mentality that comes with it:

“Everything I do on a daily basis is about trying to get the best out of myself. I’m always on top of my game, and that’s one of my strengths as an MMA fighter. I make sure I check all the boxes: from striking to grappling to sleep to recovery.”
And the fruits of all that work show in the cage. At 35 years old, Walter Gahadza has enjoyed an active career, marked by 15 finishes and stints in the world’s top organisations, including BAMMA and Bellator.

“It’s very difficult to ask yourself the right questions, to be hard on yourself”

“I’ve had the opportunity to experience both sides of this sport: the top and the bottom. Being at the top is nice, but in my experience, you don’t learn much when it goes well. On the other hand, my defeats have made me progress. It’s very difficult to ask yourself the right questions, to be hard on yourself, but that’s what makes you progress. I would say that I’ve gotten better with age!”
Walter Gahadza developed his capacity to adapt through a tortuous personal journey that took him from Zimbabwe to England. Leaving the country in 2001 on the brink of civil war, his parents sacrificed everything to make the long journey to Europe. The future fighter, a teenager at the time, was offered the opportunity to start a new life, with “more security”, and “surely a better education”.
“I had the opportunity to get a good foundation. I had to do something with it.”