UFC 271: Nasrat Haqparast Chronicles Visa Issues In Last Fight

Houston, TX – For fans who enjoy a classic stand-and-bang matchup they’re in for a treat when UFC lightweight Nasrat Haqparast opens up the PPV portion of UFC 271 on Saturday night.

Haqparast (13-4) takes on Bobby Green (28-12-1) in the opener of the main card.

“Man I’m so excited, I’m so pumped, I would fight tonight! I’m so excited for this matchup. It’s going to be fireworks if he wants to bring fireworks. We never know. If he tries to grab and hug me and wrestle me of course you’re going to make it boring, but I am coming to make a statement,” Haqparast said media day on Wednesday.

Haqparast is coming off a decision loss to Dan Hooker at UFC 266 where well-documented visa issues caused both men problems, but Haqparast made it to the fight almost last-second.

“Unbelievable the last fight. Not even the fight. The fight itself, in my opinion, was very tough on myself. Just the circumstances they were crazy. I took the fight on five-weeks notice, flew to America, trained at Kings MMA, then my mother she passed away, may God give her the paradise, and then I flew back to the funeral. Then I had visa problems until the last day. I arrived the night of the weight cut, I cut weight, I made weight. Then I fought the #8 guy in the world. I couldn’t perform as usual. I went to decision with a guy who fought a fight of the year with (Dustin) Poirier,” Haqparast explained.

“So I’m no satisfied with the loss, but in the end it made me grow as a person a lot. Not as a fighter only. As a person. Just the circumstances, if I flash back, I’m like ‘How did I did it?’ I think it made me grow mentally a lot and it made me much, much tougher.”

Both Haqparas and Green have plenty of exciting bouts on their resumes, but Haqparast is hoping that his opponent is prepared to bring an exciting fight at UFC 271.

“We never know because last fight I was never expecting Hooker to try to shoot. Actually he didn’t shoot until the last minute of the first round when I hit him in the nose. His nose was bleeding and he was kind of shooting. It surprised me to be honest, but this is MMA. If Bobby Green tries to wrestle, I’m going to wrestle him. If he wants to grapple we’re going to grapple,” Haqparast said.

“But of course we are exciting fighters and I want him also to bring a big show. It’s a PPV main card opener, and I’m looking forward to the fireworks.”

Watch the full UFC 271 media day press scrum with Nasrat Haqparast above. More coverage from the event can be found below.