Grayson Waller Explains How Just Looking at an Infamous Muhammad Ali Photo Inspires Him to Be “Better” Than Everyone
Inspirations can come from anywhere, and it knows no boundaries. Famous personalities play a big role in inspiring and influencing others. Muhammad Ali is one such big name that has probably inspired a number of athletes. WWE’s Grayson Waller is among many of those who have been inspired by the legendary boxer. A lot of fans did not know about this detail until recently when the wrestler admitted it publicly.
In an interview with Ariel Helwani, the WWE wrestler discussed the impact that the legendary boxer has had on his life. Not only was Ali slightly related to the wrestler’s wrestling career, but ended up giving his character a new perspective. And all of this happened just through one infamous picture of the boxing legend.
How did one picture affect Grayson Waller so deeply?
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Appearing as a guest on The MMA Hour’s recent interview coverage, Waller talked about several things. In the midst of an interesting conversation, Helwani couldn’t help but ask the wrestler about the big poster on the wall behind him. The poster was a picture of none other than Muhammad Ali victoriously standing atop Sonny Liston.
Trending
“He’s Not Stuck in Dubai”: Floyd Mayweather’s $30,000 Act of Kindness Towards Homeless Men in LA Raises Questions About Gervonta Davis’ Bombshell Claim
May 03, 2024 06:58 AM EDT
Boxing Insider Blows the Lid off Floyd Mayweather’s NBA Game Visit After Fans Discover “Forced” Picture in Dubai
May 03, 2024 08:56 AM EDT
Terence Crawford Responds to Kendrick Lamar’s Drake Diss Track With Bold Declaration
May 02, 2024 03:35 PM EDT
Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia Stats Comparison and Prediction: Record, Age, Height, Reach, Weight, and Knockout Ratio
May 03, 2024 06:51 PM EDT
“She’s a Sweetheart”: Jaime Munguia’s Wife Alejandra Steals the Show Ahead of Canelo Alvarez Showdown
May 04, 2024 01:11 PM EDT
Get instantly notified of the hottest Boxing stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.
Follow Us
Despite the infamous ‘phantom punch’ of the 1965 bout, it is one of Ali’s most iconic pictures. Using this visual, Fit Finlay, who acted as a mentor to Waller, taught him a valuable lesson.
Following Helwani’s question, Waller explained that Finlay had told him about the picture. “He was like, you need to stand there, above then, and show that you’re better than them. So, as soon as he told me that, I took that to heart and I actually went and bought this and put it up in my house. So, every day I think about the fact that I need to act like I’m Muhammad Ali. Like when I go in there, I need to feel like I’m the best, not just say it,” replied the SmackDown star.
Although the rising WWE heel’s words are flattering enough, this isn’t the first time that we have seen the WWE world paying tribute to Muhammad Ali’s greatness. In fact, the whole wrestling promotion once stood up to pay their due respect to the late boxer.
WWE’s ultimate tribute to Muhammad Ali
In 2016, the world lost its boxing gem. However, the tributes are still seen to this day because of the impact Ali has left behind on the rest of the world. Following his greatness even years later, WWE decided to pay tribute to ‘The Greatest’ in their own way. They did this in partnership with Mattel.
Working alongside the toy company, WWE was able to produce Muhammad Ali’s action figures. Due to it being a WWE action figure, Ali’s WrestleMania 1 appearance was also present as one of the two figures.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
“Nights Like That Are Easy”: John Cena Makes Grayson Waller Break Character While He Opens Up on Their Explosive Money In The Bank Segment
The other figure had the late legend in his regular boxing gloves to commemorate his past bouts. The figures are now open to order from MattelCreations.com starting Friday, July 21.
While Waller’s tribute is not as high profile as producing action figures for the late boxer, him remembering the legend every time he is about to enter the ring is respectful enough.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
WATCH THIS STORY:- Five fascinating facts about Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki
Did you know a WWE heel could have an honorable side to himself? Let us know your thoughts on this in the comments below.
Edited by:
Sherjeel Malik