Tahir Ulanbekov: "I'm happy to fight in Baku"

Russian fighter Tagir Ulanbekov spoke about his preparation for the UFC tournament to be held in Baku on June 21.

Idman.biz reports that he shared his expectations about the competition at a press conference held for representatives of the Azerbaijani media.

Ulanbekov was originally scheduled to face Keji Horiguchi, but after the Japanese fighter withdrew, he was replaced by Kazakh Azat Maksum. He commented on the change of opponent: "We didn't change anything in the preparation, the training is going according to the planned schedule. It is a pity that I will not be able to fight Horiguchi, who is injured, but Maksum is also a worthy and talented opponent. He came to our training camp three years ago. I have watched this fighter, I know his style and I am preparing for it."

He talked about his training under the leadership of Khabib Nurmagomedov. "This situation is inspiring. Khabib is a great champion and it is a great honor to train under his leadership."

Ulanbekov also noted the fact that the tournament will be held in Baku. "I will be happy to come to Azerbaijan, it is only a few hours away from Dagestan. I am sure that the local public will welcome me well and no additional adaptation is required."

The Russian fighter added that he will arrive in Baku a week before the fight: "I still don't know exactly what the composition of my team will be when they arrive in Baku. But Khabib Nurmagomedov will be in my corner. Fans, relatives, and friends will also fly to Baku to watch the fight - there will be additional support."

Ulanbekov has five victories in the UFC and he talked about the prospects of fighting for the title. "It's too early to say anything, I'm preparing for a specific opponent. But I want to say that I have a great team and I can fight for the belt."

He also admitted that he would like to taste Azerbaijani cuisine. "I have heard very good things about Baku, especially about the national cuisine. I hope for the support of local fans, I will be happy to fight in Azerbaijan."

Zaki Feyzullayev
Idman.biz