UFC fighters spoke in Baku: Who will win?

A media event was organized with the participation of fighters ahead of the "UFC Fight Night Baku" tournament to be held in Baku. Medianews.az reports that the fighters who spoke at the event shared their thoughts about the upcoming matches and made confident statements. Azerbaijani representative Farman Hasanov stated that the organization of UFC in our country is a major event for athletes. He emphasized that fighting in his homeland gives him extra motivation. "Having UFC in Azerbaijan is a significant event for athletes. Fighting in my own homeland gives me motivation. I am fully prepared for the match. I feel good; there is no pressure. I am only focused on myself. I do not pay attention to my opponent. My opponent is a good athlete, we have analyzed him. But the victory will be ours. In general, there is no particular opponent I want to fight." F. Hasanov also noted that his main goal in UFC is the championship: "I believe I will reach that step by step." Manuel Torres from Mexico, who is the opponent of Rafael Fiziev, said he will approach the match with his own style. "I do not know which tactics Rafael Fiziev will use. But I have my own fighting style. I will use it. My opponent is an experienced fighter. I do not think he will defeat me in the first round." M. Torres did not rule out the possibility of winning in the first round: "It is possible. I am always ready for a five-round fight. Overpowering the opponent in the first round is part of the strategy." Speaking about Baku, the fighter expressed positive thoughts about the city and its people: "Your city is very beautiful. People are hospitable. I have not been able to explore much yet." He also thanked the fans: "I liked the energy of the Azerbaijani fans. They recognize me. That left a good impression on me. I thank them." American MMA athlete Charles Johnson also expressed satisfaction with the reception from fans in Baku. "I arrived in Baku late at night. Several fans welcomed me. I think that was magnificent." The athlete, who will fight Kazakh Asu Almbayev, expressed respect for his opponent: "I have faced representatives of this country before. I respect Kazakh athletes. I admire their fighters." Sharing his impressions about Azerbaijan, Johnson added: "I have not tasted your food. I will do that after the fight. People in Baku are very kind. Your city is also tidy and beautiful." Azerbaijani fighter Tahir Abdullayev stated before his match with Brazilian Jefferson Nascimento that his opponent is not superior to him in wrestling. "I do not think my opponent is stronger than me in wrestling. I will have the advantage in stand-up fighting. If necessary, we will assert ourselves in wrestling too." T. Abdullayev also expressed his happiness about fighting in UFC: "My joy knows no bounds. Fans support their own fighters. I thank them. There are many strong athletes in my weight category. I can reduce my weight, but I do not want to." Brazilian Mateus Camilo emphasized his full preparedness for the fight with Nazim Sadikhov. "I am fully ready for this fight. I believe I will win. I have been here for several days. On Saturday evening, you will see a very good fight. If I defeat my opponent, I will dedicate my victory to my family, fans, those who love me, and those who do not." Russian fighter Sharabutdin Magomedov made confident remarks before his match with Brazilian Michel Pereira. "I am very happy he does not respect me. I want to show a great fight and fight. I am a fighter; he is an actor." He also said that he came to the event for the first time with his daughters: "But they will not be in the hall; they will watch me on TV." Nazim Sadikhov said he analyzed his opponent in detail. "I have analyzed my opponent’s weaknesses and strengths. I have worked a lot on myself. On Saturday, I will try to show my best. Winning a bonus is not our goal." Touching on his last defeat, the fighter said: "I think I had somewhat less training. In the next match, I will focus on winning and start from scratch. I want to fight with my own tactic. But sometimes feelings emerge inside me. There is pressure both in Baku and elsewhere. I will do my best in this competition." He also noted that he is satisfied with UFC being held in Baku: "I am pleased with the organization of UFC in Baku. Various sports events are also held in the country. I think it will be even better in the future." Azerbaijani MMA athlete Rafael Fiziev said he trusts his experience in the upcoming fight. "I have had many fights in UFC. I will use my experience in my career. I will use my strengths against his weaknesses. Fighting five rounds is better. Saturday will be more exciting. I am ready for the fight both psychologically and tactically." It should be noted that the "UFC Fight Night Baku" tournament will be held on June 27 at the National Gymnastics Arena.