When Aiemann Zahabi steps into the cage on Saturday, it’ll be his fourth fight out of his last five that took place in his home country of Canada. While the top ten bantamweight does enjoy fighting in Vegas, the last couple fights have helped him realize just how much he enjoys throwing down at home.
“It’s been great, actually. At first, I didn’t have that much of a fan base, so I didn’t really mind fighting in the Apex,” Zahabi said. “But now that my fan base has been growing, and if you hear the reaction I got in Montreal, it’s incredible. The reaction I had with Pedro Munoz when they were chanting ‘Zahabi’ – it’s an incredible feeling.”
It’s not just the feeling in the cage that matters for Zahabi either. As more of more Canadians put eyes on his big fights, he’s looking to leave a legacy behind. He knows a couple more big fights and his name could be up there in the rafters amongst the greats from his country.
“I’m lucky that we’re getting these fights in Canada, because it’s really helping me build my presence,” he said. “I want to, when I retire one day, I want to be one of the faces of Canadian MMA. I want to be like George [St. Pierre], I want to be like Rory [MacDonald], I want to be like Pat Coté. When they think of Canadian MMA, I want my name is up there with these guys.”
The next chance to add to that legacy comes in Vancouver this weekend. He has the perfect opponent to help put on a show for the Canadian crowd in “Chito” Vera. Although Vera is known for throwing down on the feet, Zahabi is comfortable doing the same after his last fight.
“I feel like if I could stand with Aldo, I still did that. And I gave him eight pounds, I still did it,” Zahabi said. “So I feel like I have everything it takes to stand with Marlon 100%.”
You can catch that fight with Marlon Vera as part of the main card on ESPN+. UFC Vancouver starts at 4pm EST.
