The Amazing Story Of Amir Albazi

Many mixed martial artists have a story, but very few have a tale to tell quite like UFC Flyweight Amir Albazi.

After turning heads on the domestic scene and racking up an impressive 9-0-0- record, Albazi had his first taste competing under a major promotion when Bellator he was given the opportunity to fight for Bellator.

In his first outing for the promotion, Albazi secured a unanimous decision against Jamie Powell. His next walk to the cage came at Bellator 200, where showed his superior ground game, dispatching of Iuri Bejenari by way of rear naked choke.

Following his victory at Bellator 200, ‘The Prince’, recounted his journey to competing in mixed martial arts. He told the media:

“I want to give an opportunity to everyone who thinks they can’t make it, to make it because I came from nothing and made it into something so that is what I want to show people.

“I was born in Iraq, Baghdad, during the war and everything and we had to flee the country. I just woke up one night, we packed our bags and left for Syria where I was for one and a half year. Moving again to Kyrgyzstan.

“From there, as a young kid I didn’t have any idea, we moved to Sweden at the age of 8 so I grew up there and everyone that moves to a new country knows the struggle, don’t know the language, no friends, nothing. So, I got into a lot of trouble because I couldn’t speak, people made fun of me and I didn’t like to back down.

“So I found MMA, I started doing that and after 5,6 years I wanted, I felt like a lot of people wanted to see me succeed so I decided to move to London, to London Shootfighters and give it my all.

“[There were] A lot of political issues down there with my family so we had to leave the country. A lot of people murdered, [put in] prison, [got into] trouble, everyone knows about Iraq and the trouble. I remember it before every fight. It’s what I have in my mind and you can see it in the fight.

“I don’t only fight with my hands, I fight with my heart..

“…I don’t fight for myself, I fight for a legacy, all immigrants out there, all the people who have nothing. That is why I go in with such ferocity.”

The #15 ranked Flyweight will be looking to move up the rankings following his 29-28 unanimous decision victory over Zhalgas Zhumagulov in the opening bout of UFC 257.

Albazi is currently 2-0 in the UFC and is now drawing the attention of many more fight fans.