Amir Albazi
Division: Flyweight
Result: Amir Albazi def. Malcolm Gordon via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 4:42
Record: (13-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)
Grade: A
London Shootfighters-trained flyweight [autotag]Amir Albazi[/autotag] had already tasted life in a big promotion from his time with Bellator and Brave CF, and that big-stage experience proved more than useful as he stepped into the UFC octagon for the first time on remarkably short notice at UFC Fight Island.
Albazi looked like a man destined for big things at 125 pounds as he dominated fellow debutant Malcolm Gordon to earn an attention-grabbing first-round submission.
Albazi looked by far the more relaxed of the two debutants and immediately established his striking with some solid boxing in the early exchanges. Then, when he switched gears and took the action to the floor, he looked the superior athlete in the grappling exchanges, too.
After keeping Gordon on the mat, Albazi used his opponent’s attempt to improve position to switch from top position to his back as he locked up a triangle choke and forced the tap. To give up a dominant position on top to chase a submission from the bottom showed just how confident Albazi felt in the fight, and on the ground, as he scored one of the most impressive wins of the night.
The Swede’s performance was even more impressive when you consider the fact that he got the call to fight just three hours before he needed to enter pre-travel quarantine. It meant he had virtually no time to prepare for the matchup, but “The Price” proved that he was more than good enough to prevail on his octagon debut.
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