Gift Walker: Cricketer turned MMA fighter 'blessed' to be competing in UAE

South African faces Muhidin Abubaker in co-main event of UAE Warriors Arabia-Africa card in Abu Dhabi on Friday

Gift Walker during the UAE Warriors Arabia-Africa media event in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Photo: UAE Warriors

Gift Walker has learnt to make the best of the opportunities that have come his way.

After his biological mother passed during childbirth, Walker received a second chance at life. Named by a nurse at the hospital, Walker was four months old when Janet and Billy Walker, a white couple, adopted him and made him part of their family.

Walker feels fortunate to have come this far in life as he prepares to compete as an MMA fighter in the UAE this weekend.

“I wouldn’t know how my early childhood was but I’m incredibly fortunate to have such lovely parents who looked after me as their own and for what I am now,” h told The National ahead of Friday’s UAE Warriors Arabia-Africa fight card.

“My parents had three girls at that time and visited the hospital to adopt another and they found me. Now I have three older sisters and a younger brother.

“I’m so grateful for them and feel so blessed. There's never been a time where I want to know my real mom or real dad. This is my family and I don't want it any other way. God works in our lives and he blesses us. I have Christopher as my first name but Gift is my god given name.”

Walker makes his debut in UAE Warriors Arabia-Africa against British-Somalian Muhidin Abubaker in the flyweight co-main event at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on Friday.

The South African arrives in Abu Dhabi with a 5-1 professional record, suffering his first defeat to compatriot Nkazimulo Zulu in the EFC Worldwide flyweight championship in his last appearance in March.

“There's nerves, there's excitement, there's a whole mix of emotions, but I'm just so blessed to be fighting in UAE Warriors,” Walker said about his debut in the Abu Dhabi promotion.

“The kids from South Africa, I know many people in my position that won't get this opportunity. So, I'm just glad to be here competing in a bigger promotion, better money and tougher opponents. I love this experience.

“I've met some awesome fighters, I've met some awesome teammates. So, I'm just blessed to be here. My goal is not only to win this fight but to be the champion in this promotion.”

Abubaker, 25, arrives with a 7-1 record. He suffered his only defeat to South African Luthando Biko in his only appearance in the UAE Warriors Africa in September 2022, and since then, won four fights in Fight Star Championship.

Abubaker is a late replacement after Walker’s original opponent withdrew because of injury.

“I watched a few videos of his (Abubaker) fights but I really don’t know much about my new opponent,” Walker said.

“I watched one fight of him and he looked like a good striker. I look at him as an athlete, what can he do to me as another athlete.

“So, I'm excited for the fight. I think the Arabia versus Africa is good marketing, but at the end of the day we're just fighters fighting towards the same goal and same dreams.”

Walker, 25, began his journey into sport as a bowling all-rounder in cricket before switching to martial arts after watching an MMA amateur event.

“I was pretty good in cricket, particularly bowling. I bowled leg-spin, off-spin and the googly. The move from cricket to combat sports came when I had the chance to watch an amateur MMA competition,” he said.

“That was my first time. I loved it and got hooked. I started practicing various martial arts and was quite good in jiu-jitsu, and then my journey began in the MMA amateur competitions in 2017 and turned professional four years later."