For BAMMA’s Walter Gahadza his coming out party is yet to come. Having arrived on the BAMMA roster after blazing an unbeaten trail on smaller promotions big things were expected of the fearsome striker. Lauded by Paul Daley as the new leader of the welterweight division at BAMMA Walter has failed to ignite the trail that he was expected to blaze. After a bumpy ride thus far I catch up with ‘The Sniper’ who is fully into camp in Colorado where he emphatically gives reasons why the division and indeed his opponent at BAMMA 34, Colin Fletcher, should ‘fear the return’
“I’m currently in camp at Genesis in Colrado where I’m sparring with Neil Magny, Justin Gaethje and Nate Marquardt.” Gahadzha continues, “I’m getting some good rounds in and lot’s of altitude training. Come March 9th you will see an excellent version, if not the best version of me yet.
It’s not before time that we get to see the real ‘Sniper’ that was picking off opponents before he got to BAMMA. Perhaps the step up in competition was just too steep? Not according to Gahadza who is keen to point out how he was emphatically laying waste to his previous opponent who will headline the card he will feature on.
“I feel in my last two fights I’ve been a little bit unlucky,” Gahadza said. Continuing he offers, “I lost the fight but prior to the headbutt Terry Brazier was getting his arse whooped. He would have been put away before the first round. He was easy work. Brazier is fighting for the world title now but all I care about now if Colin Fletcher.”
Come March 9th, two years after their initial showdown, Gahdza will come face to face with Colin Fletcher and will be seeking both redemption and a way in which he can put to bed the unanswered questions still left hanging from his first clash with ‘The Freakshow’
“He wanted win by any means or he was hurt and that was his only way out. He knows what I bring to the table. He knows that when I touched him on his chin his legs went a little bit wobbly. Whether he admits it or not, March 9th will be a different case. He’s not on my level.”
Colin Fletcher has candidly sought to come to terms with his losing skid in BAMMA in a recent interview by explaining he has battled personal demons and it’s affected every part of his life. Whilst he has fought for other promotions with varying results the last time he had any success inside the BAMMA cage was back in 2014 when he fought Michael Brightmon to a TKO victory. With these demons conquered could this offer Gahadza any type of threat. Not according to ‘The Sniper’
“Look what happened in the first fight,” Gahadza says reflecting on what transpired between himself and Colin Fletcher, pausing he continues. “He wants me to do that again, embarrass him? I’ll deal with his demons for him. he is a demon. I’m going to beat Fletcher like a demon”
“What’s going to be different this time around is I’m going to be cool calm and collected but deadly.”
Gahadza is optimistic about the future with BAMMA and beyond and with a young son now as part of his motivation he is keen to ensure he is now working towards a legacy.
“I want the belt,” Gahadza tells me. Reflecting on the headline fight he offers, “The fight between Brazier and Lohore compliments their styles there are a lot of exciting elements to the match up. I think the outcome depends on how composed Alex is. If Alex stays composed he will put Brazier away. Brazier can take a punch though so Alex really needs to keep composed.”
Beyond titles and fighting for BAMMA Gahadza has already been given the motivation he needs to ensure his journey to the big show is all but assured. It appears that he is already on the UFC’s radar with an approach already made all be it before his recent set backs.
“I was offered a UFC contract to fight Rick Story on short notice a while back,” Gahadza tells me. “It was something I really had to think about. After speaking with my manager I turned it down. I wasn’t as mature a fighter as I am now and I was out of shape so to take that fight didn’t make sense.”
BAMMA 34: Lohore Vs. Brazier takes place at the SSE Arena, Wembley, London on Friday 9th March. Tickets are on sale now from bamma.com