Kevin Casey fought to a split draw against Elvis Mutapcic on the UFC 199 preliminary card Saturday, however Casey was competing with a heavy heart.
Casey is the son-in-law of boxing great Muhammad Ali, who died late Friday at the age of 74.
“It’s a lot to go through before a fight but thank you guys for the support and God bless my family,” Casey told fans at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., following his bout with Mutapcic.
The 34-year-old posted this photo on his Instagram account after Ali’s death.
Casey is married to Hana Ali, one of Ali’s nine children.
“My Husband has a UFC fight tonight in Los Angeles! I know my fathers Spirit is with him! I love you my Kevin ! My KING!” Hana wrote on her Facebook page earlier in the day.
This is a photo of the two of them attending a UFC event last year.
Hana is best friends with Kenisha Norton, the daughter of fellow boxing great Ken Norton. Ali and Norton fought three times. Norton upset Ali to win the NABF heavyweight title in their first encounter in March 1973. Ali took back the belt in a rematch five months later. Interestingly enough, the Ali-Norton rematch happened to take place at The Forum, the same venue of Saturday’s UFC event.
Casey (9–4–1, 2 NC) controlled most of the action in the first two round, but it was former MFC champion Mutapcic who was able to land the more effective strikes and he poured it on in the third round. One judge scored the fight 29-28 Casey, one had it 29-28 Mutapcic and the third judge went with a 28-28 scorecard, rendering the fight a split draw.
