Amir Albazi talks headlining ADXC 8, predicts Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura at UFC 310

farah hannoun

Thu, 5 Dec 2024, 8:50 am·2-min read

Amir Albazi will jump right back into competition – but in a grappling match.

Albazi headlines ADXC 8 when he takes on fellow UFC flyweight Jafel Filho in a no-gi featherweight grappling match Friday at ADNEC Centre in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi.

Albazi (17-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) saw his six-fight winning streak snapped by Brandon Moreno when he lost a unanimous decision in the UFC Fight Night 246 headliner in November. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Albazi opened up on headlining ADXC 8, his loss to Moreno, and his take on Saturday's UFC 310 flyweight title-fight headliner between champion Alexandre Pantoja and Kai Asakura.

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"I'm very, very excited for this. This is probably the best grappling event I've attended so, I'm actually excited to compete in the event. There are a lot of good names here. My base and my roots is jiu-jitsu. So, I'm excited to put on a show again and do what I do best."

Levels in grappling

Aug 20, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Amir Albazi (red gloves) fights Francisco Figueiredo (blue gloves) during UFC 278 at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

"I think his grappling is good, but like I always say, there's levels to this game. In can be good in jiu-jitsu, in the UFC, but when it comes to pure jiu-jitsu, I know I'm the man. I'm the guy that does it all. I'm excited to be able to showcase my skills against a known submission artist, too."

ADXC ruleset

Aug 20, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Amir Albazi (red gloves) reacts after defeating Francisco Figueiredo (blue gloves) during UFC 278 at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

"I've always been an aggressive fighter, in grappler, too. I'm excited. So, my opponent is stuck in a cage instead of a mat where they can always run out. I prefer the cage to the mat."

Experience

Moreno loss

Nov 2, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; (Editors note: blood) Brandon Moreno (red gloves) fights Amir Albazi (blue gloves) in a flyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

"I don't know if it was ring rust. I really don't want to make excuses, but I know it wasn't my day. It wasn't the same Amir that they've seen in the past. Everyone who knows MMA saw that part. If it was ring rust, long time off, surgeries, I don't know. I just want to get back into the cage, get another win, and show people that I am the best flyweight fighter in the world."

UFC plans

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 03: (L-R) Amir Albazi of Iraq punches Kai Kara-France of New Zealand in a flyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on June 03, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

"No names in mind. All I'm focused on is getting back and getting a win. It can be against whoever the UFC puts in front of me. I don't think I'm in a position to say and choose, either. I just want to go in, get a good performance, get a good win, and then I can start calling out some other names."

Pantoja-Asakura prediction

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Amir Albazi talks headlining ADXC 8, predicts Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura at UFC 310