Athletes
Nazim Sadykhov | The Hard Work Starts Now
Ascending Lightweight Shares Outlook, Mission Ahead Of UFC 323 This Weekend
Not many fighters get the chance to compete on the biggest stage in the sport in their hometown, and the opportunity is even more scarce for those born outside of major cities.
Most adopt an “as close as I’ll come” approach, turning bouts in their home state or country into marquee fights that carry greater meaning and significance, like the Canadian contingent making the walk to the Octagon in the Great Fight North, athletes from the United Kingdom competing in London, and the Australian/New Zealander and Asian competitors on the roster getting to throw down in Australia or China, respectively.
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
Until this year, the idea of fighting in his hometown of Baku, Azerbaijan was nothing more than a bucket list item for Nazim Sadykhov, who moved to Brooklyn with his family in his early elementary school years and now resides in Las Vegas. But then the UFC announced its inaugural event at Baku Crystal Hall in June, and the Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) graduate got the chance only a few ever receive.
“Cinematic: you couldn’t write a movie script like that,” Sadykhov said of competing at home, where he earned a second-round stoppage win over Nikolas Motta. “Fight Night aside, the treatment, the reception from my people, the love, the feeling of heroism because of the fans and the people, what they say — I don’t know what to say; it gives me goosebumps.”
Sadykhov and Motta engaged in a hard-fought battle with the Brazilian hurting the hometown favorite early, only for “The Black Wolf” to steady himself and respond in impressive fashion. The duo earned the Fight of the Night bonus for their combined efforts, while Sadykhov took home an additional Performance of the Night bonus, making his business trip to Baku tremendously successful as well as personally fulfilling.
“I didn’t want it to be like that,” he said with a smile. “I started off coasting, cruising, picking, poking, moving. Everything was smooth, but he had his moment, and he’s a dangerous guy — a very good puncher — and I’ve known that for years. I’ve watched him starch people and lay them out in CFFC so he’s a dangerous opponent for sure. But like I said in the post-fight interview: you wanna beat me in my home country, bring a gun to the cage because it’s not gonna be a fair fight if you’re fighting me in my country.
“It’s not gonna be a fair fight to fight me in an MMA bout.”
As much as the experience was a huge milestone moment, personally and professionally, as the win moved Sadykhov to 4-0-1 in the UFC and inched him closer to breaking into the rankings in the 155-pound weight class, it’s not something the driven and humble fighter is continuing to dine off and holding as the pinnacle of his fighting career.
Nazim Sadykhov Octagon Interview | UFC Baku
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Nazim Sadykhov Octagon Interview | UFC Baku
/
It’s a moment he cherishes, but for Sadykhov, that victory was simply the mark of a new starting point in his greater overall journey, a journey which continues at UFC 323 in Las Vegas where he fights Farès Ziam.
“I put it behind me because this game is forgetful in good and bad ways, so you’ve gotta put things behind you quick. You can’t hold attachments to losses or wins,” offered the measured and thoughtful fighter, who came up with the Serra-Longo Fight Team in New York before making the move to Syndicate MMA. “I put it behind me, but any time that I just see that and see the crowd reaction on reels — it’s forever, man; it’s forever.
Incredible 2025 Still Has More To Offer
“It's where I dreamed to be. I literally cried and suffered and grinded for days like this. These are the fruits of my labor. The flipside is that this is where the hardest work starts. This isn’t the top of the mountain. This is the start of the climb to the top of the mountain, so these are my steps, this is my climb.
“Every single bout you see are my steps towards the top of the mountain, and I’m not anywhere near where I want to be and who I’m going to be, God-willing of course.”
That ability to move on from what was unquestionably the greatest night of his professional career is something that has the potential to help Sadykhov reach those greater heights he is seeking to find.
So many in the sport — and in sports in general — want to recount their greatest achievements and cling to the best moments, viewing each new rung on the ladder as a milestone to be celebrated. But for Sadykhov, the guidance of some of the influential people in his circle and the early lessons in humility life handed him shaped the way he looks at things.
MORE UFC 323: Fighters On The Rise
While he’s certainly happy each time he gets his hand raised and still enjoys a post-fight pizza, the bigger mission is just getting started, and it’s not yet time to be prideful.
“I have hunger in me,” he said. “Life humbled me early on. Life told me, ‘You’re not gonna get everything and be humbled. You’re gonna start humbled and climb your way up, through blood, sweat, and tears, to get every single penny, every single like, every single fan. You’re gonna have to claw every single fight to do that.’ That is what instilled that in me.
“I’m not proud of myself; the job is not done,” he added. “I’m not sitting in a mansion with 11 cars in the driveway, with my family set forever. I’m not in a position yet for me to be prideful.
“Of course I’m happy, of course I’m excited — these accomplishments mean a lot to me — but if I take pride in that, that’s telling me that I accomplished something, and I haven’t accomplished anything. I’m still a nobody in this game, and I wanna keep it that way because that’s what is going to help me step up and rise to the occasion every time.”
View Sadykhov's Athlete Profile
Coupling that demeanor with the respect he holds for each opponent and the intense preparation that goes into each fight camp not only makes Sadykhov a dangerous threat in the lightweight division, but someone fans are only going to continue flocking to as they’re exposed to him more often.
Saturday’s night pairing with Ziam is a tremendous opportunity: a matchup with a fellow hungry, young lion on a lengthy winning streak. The 28-year-old “Smile Killer” touches down in Las Vegas riding a 5-fight winning streak that includes a knockout win over one of Sadykhov’s former teammates, Matt Frevola.
Like Sadykhov, France’s Ziam has flown somewhat under the radar in the ultra-competitive weight class, but the Sadykhov knows what will be waiting for him at T-Mobile Arena.
“I’m super-excited,” began Sadykhov, a grin sweeping across his face. “Stylistically, this is such an interesting matchup, and I’m gonna be such a big fan of my fight on Sunday morning having my pancakes, hopefully with no bumps and bruises, but who the hell knows? With a banger like this, I just don’t know — I’m ready to give up years of my life for this one.
“He’s well rounded, he has range and reach on me, but that’s nothing I haven’t seen before. My entire career has been a reach and height disadvantage, so it’s not my first time fighting some sort of odds. I built my style around these disadvantages and turned them into my advantages.
“As far as the matchup, does it excite me? Of course.”
So too does the potential of what another victory this weekend brings, especially after having been stuck on the sidelines for the whole of 2024.
“It’s kinda big,” he said, bursting out laughing when asked about registering a three victories this year and pushing his overall unbeaten streak to 13. ”When I’m 12-0 with all finishes, then that’s big-big!
“But seriously, it’s what I wanted. This is gonna put me in a very good position, and 2026, I’m not thinking about it, but if and when this victory comes and next year rolls around, I’m gonna come in at an even higher level, even more leveled up, even bigger momentum, and people will see exactly how dangerous I am.”
More than anything right now, that’s what Sadykhov is focused on: displaying his talents and drawing you in with the vicious symphony he conducts inside the Octagon every time out.
“Whether you like me or not, you’re gonna tune in and enjoy the fight,” he said confidently. “I don’t really care if people enjoy my personality, to get along with me — that’s fine; we don’t have to sit down and get coffee together.
“But when you tune into a Nazim Sadykhov fight, you’re gonna enjoy, and you know you’re gonna enjoy, and you’re gonna see beautiful violence.”
Consider that your invitation and reminder to tune in on Saturday evening.
UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2 took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 6, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
Tags