Las Vegas — Farid Basharat, who is 16-0 overall after a win over John Garza at UFC 329, is looking to fight David Martinez at Noche UFC next, and feels he’s got what it takes to be champion one day.
Garza was a short-notice replacement for Ethyn Ewing, but managed to take Basharat the distance. Following the win, the undefeated 29-year old told media outlets including Cageside Press that “I feel excellent. I feel very good to extend my win streak to 16-0, seven-win streak in the bantamweight division now in the UFC.”
Taking the change of opponents in stride, Basharat added that “every time I go out there I turn up, regardless of injuries, regardless of weight misses, opponent misses or whatever, I always turn up. That’s one thing you’ve got to say about me, I’m a real force in this [division], and I hope I start getting mentioned in the bigger picture when it comes to title contention and potential future champions, etc.”
Basharat made it known that he was a free agent coming into the fight and reiterated it in his post-fight interview. He fought out his deal off a win, as his brother Javid did before him. Javid, however, was not re-signed and recently inked a deal with the PFL. Farid is hoping to stay put.
“The dream for me is obviously the UFC. I don’t even remember when I saw my first UFC fight, I think it was Matt Hughes-Royce Gracie, which was UFC 68 or something [UFC 60], and I didn’t become an official fan until probably 2009, UFC 100 days, when the UFC Undisputed 1 video game came out,” Basharat recalled. “Since 2009, I’ve been a fan non-stop, and it’s been my dream when I go to sleep, just one day to be champion.”
“I’ve come closer and closer every single year, every single fight that I have. I’m now 16-0, which is, when you look back on these things, that’s incredibly impressive in arguably the deepest weight division. For me I want to stay, of course. The UFC is where I want to be at. As long as I stay in the organization, I know I’m going to be champion.”
Turning 29, Basharat feels he’s just entering his prime years now. Whether he spends those years with the UFC remains to be seen.
Watch the full UFC 329 post-fight press conference with Farid Basharat above.
