Ali started Kyokushin Karate in 1983 with Shihan Massoud Homayounpour, the branch chief of Iran. He trained in Iran for two years obtaining the yellow belt. In 1995 he joined the Surrey dojo instructed by Sensei Henri Suitela. Ali received the brown belt (Kyo 2) from Sensei Henri in 1997. In 1998 he joined the Guildford dojo taught by Sensei Wlodek Maruniak. He was promoted to Kyo 1 (brown belt with stripe) in 1998. A year later, in the August of 1999 Ali was promoted by Shihan Stuart Corrigal to Shodan (1st Dan) in Enderby, B.C.

Ali has participated in several knock-down tournaments at both national and international levels. He placed 3rd in the heavy-weight coloured-belt division in the Canadian National Tournament in 1995. In 2000 Ali took on the job of instructing Karate at the Surrey dojo. He became a member of the Vancouver Kyokushin Karate Club in 2001. Ali also enjoys coaching and officiating at tournaments.