Malaysian MMA fighters pay tribute to 'The Greatest' Muhammad Ali

“I cried, champ!” admitted Malaysian MMA fighter, Saiful Merican on his Instagram.

It has been four days since the passing of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, leaving behind a feeling of great loss among those who knew him.

READ: Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies at 74

Even though he was a boxer, but his influence inspired a lot of people from all walks of life including mixed martial artists, who often see him as a motivator.

Ali wasn’t ‘all perfect’ — he had his losses, but what made him great was that he strongly believed in himself. He believed he was fast, he believed he was handsome, he believed he was the best and he believed he was the greatest.

He never gave up, although he didn’t like going through the vigorous trainings — “I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'" Ali once said.

And because of that, fighters admire him, not because he was the perfect fighter with a perfect winning streak, but because he was optimistic… that everyone has the ability to become a champion.

The passing of Ali was mourned by many, not to mention our own MMA fighters who saw him as a ‘super athlete’.

Saiful Merican, admitted that he cried when he heard about Ali’s death.

“I cried, champ! That painting will stay here Merican Muay Thai forever to inspire us all. Rest well. Gone but not forgotten,” he wrote.

I cried champ! That painting will stay here at @mericanmuaythai forever to inspire us all. Rest well. Gone but not forgotten. "Champions come and go, but to be legendary you got to have heart, more heart than the next man, more than anyone in the world". - #MuhammadAli Al fatihah #GOAT #LEGEND #TaziefAli

A photo posted by Saiful Merican (@saifulmerican) on
Jun 3, 2016 at 10:56pm PDT

“Champions come and go, but to be legendary you got to have heart, more heart than the next man, more than anyone in the world,” said the co-owner of Merican Muay Thai Gym.

Saiful said he looked up to Ali so much that he even named his son after him, Tazief Ali.

Oh man... I looked up to this man so much that's why I named my son after him. One of my dream is to meet and talk to this legend face to face.

For Ann ‘Athena’ Osman, she regarded Ali as one of the best boxers ever.

“May he rest in peace and his legacy continues on. A super athlete the world has ever known, one of the best boxers to have enter the ring and civil activist, he will never be forgotten. Al-Fatihah,” she wrote.

Muhammad Ali @ Cassius Clay. May he rest in peace and his legacy continues on. A super athlete the world has ever known, one of the best boxers to have ever enter the ring and civil activist, he will never be forgotten. Al fatihah. #muhammadali #legendaryboxer #ripmuhammadali

A photo posted by Ann Osman (@annosman) on
Jun 4, 2016 at 5:52am PDT

Ann is also the country’s first professional female MMA fighter.

Meanwhile, few other Malaysian fighters from ONE Championship also paid tribute to the great champ on social media.

Below are their reactions:

“I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was. I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest.”

A photo posted by Peter Davis (@peterhughdavis) on
Jun 4, 2016 at 7:42am PDT

Rest in peace, Muhammad Ali.