Las Vegas, NY — “Keep them coming, and I’ll keep taking them out,” flyweight Amir Albazi proclaimed following a knockout win against newcomer Alessandro Costa at UFC Vegas 66.
Albazi (16-1) has now won four straight fights in the UFC. The Iraqi, who has fought all over the globe since turning pro in 2009, was originally scheduled against Alex Perez, than Brandon Royval, at the event on Saturday.
His mindset, however, means it doesn’t matter who he faces.
“It’s to be ready for all of them. And I feel I’m ready for all of them anyways. My game doesn’t change, that’s who I am,” Albazi told media outlets including Cageside Press following the bout. “Whoever they put in front of me, if I can’t take them down, I’m going to fight with them until they give me the takedown. You find out several times that your opponent has changed, but it is what it is. At the end of the day, I’m going to go out with a win.”
The 29-year old made the move to Las Vegas during the pandemic, looking to take his career to the next level alongside fellow UFC talents Farid and Javid Basharat. It was the next step in a lengthy journey, one that other fighters might have been reluctant to take, given the success Albazi had already achieved.
Why aren’t more fighters willing to take such risks? “I can only speak for myself, but being comfortable. I would say being comfortable. A lot of people are comfortable where they are. I’ve never been comfortable,” explained Albazi. “I fled Iraq when I was the age of seven. Middle of the night, I went to Syria. Haven’t seen my father. From Syria I went to Sweden at the age of eight. In Sweden I lived alone as a teenager, 15 years old. I lived completely alone until the age of 18. And when I turned 18, I moved to London, for ten years. Same thing. New country, can’t speak the language, no friends. Kept fighting, kept trying. Got into the UFC. Now, in Vegas.”
“This is another step on the way. For me it’s nothing new. I’ve always been uncomfortable. I thrive there.”
Watch the full UFC Vegas 66 post-fight press scrum with Amir Albazi above.
