NAZIM SADYKHOV | ‘THE BLACK WOLF’ RETURNS TO BAKU

As much as fans will rally behind Canadian or American athletes when they’re representing their countries on a global stage, and local athletes will garner support in their home markets, there isn’t the same unified fervor about backing each and every individual from Canada or the United States whenever they are set to compete the way there is with athletes from so many other nations around the globe.

That’s not necessarily a knock on my fellow Canadians or American supporters either; it’s just a statement of what we’ve historically seen over the years.

FOLLOW @UFCNEWS: On Facebook | On Instagram | On X | On Threads

From Brazilian audiences chanting “Uh Vai Morrer” at every fighter set to stand opposite one of their own and fans in Tajikistan filling soccer stadiums in the early morning hours to watch Nurullo Aliev compete to the hero’s welcome Jiri Prochazka received when he brought the UFC light heavyweight title back to Brno, Czech Republic, the support abroad just hits differently, and it’s primarily because the opportunities for individuals from those nations to succeed at this level feel so much more limited than they do for their North American counterparts.

“Of course, the title is every fighter’s dream when we enter this game, and one thing that separates me from somebody that is just from the States is that I have somewhere I came from, and I am going back, with the UFC, to somewhere I came from,” began Sadykhov, who garnered a stoppage win over Ismael Bonfim in February to push his record to 3-0-1 inside the Octagon and extend his unbeaten streak to 11 overall. “For me to say it’s surreal is such a simple word.

“I can’t even describe my emotions, to be honest with you,” he added, pausing to find the words. “This is my world title fight. If there is no title, which I’m still gonna be striving for like my a** is on fire, but if there is no world title or I’m cut tomorrow, UFC Baku, MSG — these things are my world title.”

I’m not sure the Canadian contingent from the Greater Toronto Area would feel the same way about fighting at Scotiabank Arena or athletes from Denver would say that about competing in their hometown.

Order UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira

But when you’re one of only three fighters representing a nation on the biggest stage in your sport, a homecoming like this and the opportunity to perform in front of family and friends resonates in a completely different way.

“Imagine for 30 years of your life, you grew up on your street, and all your neighbors, you’ve grown so close to them, you share so many memories with them; that’s what it would be like times a million,” said Sadykhov, trying to articulate the depth of what this weekend not only means to him, but to the people of Azerbaijan as a whole. “Your street would be so happy for you — ‘That’s our guy! That’s our boy!’ — and that’s what Azerbaijan is like.

“To come from where I come from, to come from such non-MMA popular environments, such negative environments — people don’t make it where I grew up; they just don’t — so for me to get through all of that, end up in the UFC, in Baku, you can picture how much that means to me.

“Nazim Sadykhov, UFC fighter — in America, that holds weight, but it’s not the same as when I go overseas and people are telling me fexremizsen, which means, ‘You are our pride.’ That’s such a big word and I carry it with honor.”

Relive UFC Atlanta: Scorecards | Bonus Coverage | Results

The talented lightweight, who earned his place on the roster with a third-round stoppage win on Season 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series, also has a great deal of pride when it comes to his lengthy unbeaten streak, which began following a loss in his professional debut towards the end of 2018.

Since then, the Ray Longo protege, who has joined long-time teammates Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling in relocating to Las Vegas, has successfully navigated 11 bouts spread out across the treacherous East Coast regional circuit, Texas’ Fury FC, the toughest job interview in all of professional sports, and the UFC, with all but one of his 10 wins during that run coming inside the distance.

“It’s something that crept up out of nowhere, but now I defend it like it’s my turf,” he said with a smile when asked about his extended run of success. “I am now a fighter with an 11-fight unbeaten streak — that’s an impressive record; those are rare in MMA — so I’m looking to keep growing that and see how far it can go. Let it be a 30-fight unbeaten streak and then retire.

“It means a lot. I worked for those results. I dug deep in fights. There have been fights where they’ve been close and I’ve dug deep — 20, 30 seconds left in the third round and I finish the fight; that’s happened a few times. I’ll guard it with my life, and June 21st, we’re gonna reach 12.”

Massive Canelo vs Crawford Bout Slated For Netflix

In order to push that unbeaten run to an even dozen, he’ll need to get through Motta, a fellow DWCS alum who enters Saturday’s contest on a two-fight winning streak, and is garnering Sadykhov’s full attention.

“My fanbase is always like, ‘Where’s Top 15? Why is there this step down in competition?’ this and that,” began “The Black Wolf,” sharing his thoughts on his Brazilian adversary. “Firstly, Motta is under the radar; he’s been in the game for a minute. The odds and all that stuff, let that be for the fans, because, for me, I take this as a world title fight.

“You won’t catch me sleeping on Motta, underestimating or thinking it’s a wrap. ‘It’s in Baku, I’m the favorite’ — none of that does the fighting for me. I’ve gotta get in there with a guy that is getting the opportunity of his lifetime.

“I’ve gotta get in there, we’re gonna scrap, and it’s gonna be a good scrap. He’s gonna throw some good s***, I’m gonna throw some good s***, and we’re gonna have a beautiful fight.”

While many athletes in his position would be adamant about what they want next and what they feel they deserve after collecting a second win this year and maintaining an unbeaten record inside the Octagon, Sadykhov is taking a different approach when it comes to thinking about what the rest of the year may hold should he garner another victory this weekend in Azerbaijan.

View NAZIM SADYKHOV's Profile Page

“With a win, with a spectacular finish in Baku — regardless of rankings and all of this stuff — I come out there, do my thing, I’m impressive, I get put in a very good position,” he said. “Doesn’t matter about the ranking of the opponent; it matters what you do in that cage. You’re styling, you’re making history, you’re putting on good performances, you’re gonna make your way in this game.

“That’s what I look to do, and I’m not looking at rankings, what’s next,” added the hometown standout. “I just want to take it fight-by-fight, give it my all in every single fight; everything else settles on its own.”