The Ultimate Fighter
Meet Middleweight Omran Chaaban | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Grasso vs Team Shevchenko
Get To Know Omran Chaaban And The Rest Of The Season 32 Cast On ESPN And ESPN +
Omran Chaaban is just one of many hopefuls looking to make a name for himself on another epic season of The Ultimate Fighter. With legendary coaches Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko on opposite sides of the Octagon, the stakes have never been higher. Let’s meet the featherweights and middleweights that make up the season 32 cast.
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Professional Record: 6-1-0
Birthplace: Helsinki, Finland
Fighting Out Of: Helsinki, Finland
Affiliation: Team KF
Age: 23
Quick Stat: UAE Warriors Champion
Welcome to the 32nd Season of The Ultimate Fighter! How does it feel to be here?
I feel great. I knew about this a little over a month ago. Feels great. Happy to be here.
What is your fighting style like?
So I think this is, as they call it, the new generation. I started young. I'm only 22 years old. I started in MMA. So no background, straight MMA. It’s a mix of everything. I think this is the new generation.
Where does the nickname “Lebanese Gorilla” come from?
Because I always talk about Lebanon. I was originally from Lebanon. I was born and raised in Finland. So, yeah, I always like to talk about Lebanon and people are like, “Oh, you talk so much about Lebanon and everything.” I was like, yeah, obviously. Then my siblings always say to me, ah, you look like a gorilla in your fight photos. Then they just called me Lebanese Gorilla and I stuck with it.
Alexa Grasso Talks Being TUF Coach For New Season
What is going to be the biggest challenge for you during the show?
I will be honest with you; nothing comes to my mind. I'm just going to go enjoy it. As I said in previous interviews, I have a difference between all these guys. This is a big difference. So I've been living three years in Dublin, Ireland in Team KF, in the gym, so there's no privacy there, it's cold.
So here, it's just a nicer place, but it's the same. No privacy, just loads of people coming in and out. I've been living there for three years, so these guys are not prepared that way and I am. I think that's a huge thing, because I'm comfortable with it. I'm comfortable to be myself. These guys are not there struggling, so I'm comfortable with being away from my family.
What does it mean to you to be able to represent your country on the show?
It's great. This is the one thing. So I represent Lebanon, the Middle East, because my mom and dad are from there and I love Lebanon, but I was born and raised in Helsinki, Finland. So I'm the first ever Finnish fighter to enter The Ultimate Fighter. It's a huge thing there, and obviously Ireland, I trained there, I like to represent Lebanon and Finland, and it's huge. I'm happy to inspire loads of young guys and show them how from Finland; there's five million people and you can always go somewhere - Lebanon, same thing. The poor people, I didn't grow up rich or anything, we were a very simple family. My mom raised us. So I just want to make it clear and inspire people.
Get To Know Middleweight Omran Chaaban | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Grasso vs Team Shevchenko
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Get To Know Middleweight Omran Chaaban | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Grasso vs Team Shevchenko
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What makes you a force to be reckoned with in the Octagon?
I think a mix of everything. I know who we have here. We have a couple of strikers. I'm sure I'm going to beat them at striking, but I will beat them everywhere else. I have the biggest reach here. I have the biggest height. I don't think I'm that small. So, I'm the biggest guy, which is not even in my division. I think I have the answers to everything. I think they have good wrestling, but I think I'm better at MMA. I think I'm that new generation, as Ilia Topuria said, “We're the new generation.”
Why do you think you will be a breakout star?
My last fight was against the high-level double-champ guy and beat him in the fifth round. I don't think anybody from these guys has gone five rounds. So not many people have been able to say they’ve done that at 23 years old in a championship fight being in a big organization on UFC Fight Pass. I'm the youngest here and I'm excited to be the youngest guy to win The Ultimate Fighter.
MORE TUF 32 CAST: Tom Theocharis | Edwin Cooper | Kaan Ofli
What do you think living in the house will be like?
I think it's going to be mad. It's a bit hard to even describe because you never know what will happen. But I know one thing; I know I'm just gonna enjoy it. I'm being myself, and I don't care about anyone else. I'm going to go there, just be me.
What are your thoughts on Alexa Grasso?
Great fighter, very good team, I’ve been looking into their coaching teams because I know that's a big part and I think they're great. Yeah, a very smart team.
What are your thoughts on Valentina Shevchenko?
A very good striker. Very high level and the team is very striking-based, as well, which is very good. I love striking and I think she's a good fighter. They're both great.
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