LAS VEGAS – Amir Albazi thinks he proved his point on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Albazzi (16-1 MMA, 4-0) at UFC Fight Night 216 UFC) earned his first TKO win in seven years when he finished promotional newcomer Alessandro Costa (12-3 MMA, 0-1) UFC) with a slick uppercut and follow-up punch at UFC Apex.
After the fight, Albazzi insisted at home that he was not playing around. He considers himself poised for the elite of the elite at 125 pounds.
At the post-fight press conference, Albaji told MMA Junkie and other reporters, “I didn’t want to show the same Amir here.” “I’ve already accumulated two blackbelts, so I wanted to do really well to show that I’m on a different level than these guys and that I’m ready for the top five. I’m ready for that belt. I hope you guys have seen. I hope you can see that I have knockout power too. I can make people sleep standing up, and I can make people sleep on the floor. Just keep ’em coming, and I’ll keep ’em out.
Albazzi, 29, has so far lost in the UFC with three finishes in four wins. He has struggled to find opponents, but adversity is familiar. He detailed his backstory as bouncing from country to country as a teenager. His life has always been full of uncertainty. Which is why he fancies his chances if he takes a step up in the competition.
“I would say being comfortable (is the biggest issue for fighters),” Albazzi said. “Many people are comfortable where they are. I’ve never been comfortable. I fled Iraq when I was 7. At midnight I moved to Syria. I haven’t seen my father. From Syria, I Moved to Sweden at age 8. In Sweden, I lived alone as a teenager until I was 15. I lived alone until I was 18.
“When I turned 18, I moved to London for 10 years. Same thing. new country. I could not speak the language. no friends I kept fighting, kept trying, joined the UFC, and now I’m in Vegas. This is just another step on the way. For me, this is nothing new. I’ve always been uneasy. I thrive there.
For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 216.
