Azernews.Az

On June 21, the UFC held its first-ever tournament in Azerbaijan at the Baku Crystal Hall.

Azernews reports via Azertag that a total of 24 fighters competed in the event.

Athletes from various weight classes participated in both preliminary and main card fights.

The tournament, held in an atmosphere of intense competition, produced 12 winners.

Notably, the main bouts featured Azerbaijan’s Rafael Fiziev facing Chile’s Ignacio Bahamondes in the lightweight division, and Americans Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree in the light heavyweight division.

Rafael Fiziev and Khalil Rountree emerged victorious in their respective fights.

Another Azerbaijani fighter, Nazim Sadykhov, went up against Brazil’s Nikolas Motta. In a tense and exciting match, Sadykhov knocked out his opponent in the second round.

However, in the lightweight division, fellow Azerbaijani fighter Tofiq Musayev was defeated by Kyrgyz athlete Myktybek Orolbay.

Other winners of the night included Muhammad Usman (Nigeria), Tagir Ulanbekov (Russia), Klaudia Sygula (Poland), Darya Zheleznyakova (Russia), Park Jun-Yong and Seo Heun Ko (both South Korea), Muhammad Naimov (Tajikistan), and Curtis Blaydes (USA).

It is worth noting that hosting a prestigious tournament like the UFC in Baku is yet another sign of Azerbaijan’s growing global reputation as a sporting nation. On June 20, UFC President Dana White met with President Ilham Aliyev and praised the high-level preparation for the event, expressing his gratitude for the support provided.

The choice of Baku as a UFC venue is no coincidence. Azerbaijan has already hosted numerous high-profile international sporting events that meet world-class standards, receiving great interest from athletes and fans alike.

Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva, Arzu Aliyeva, and other family members also attended the tournament.