Interview: UFC Fighter Nassourdine "The Sniper" Imavov
We caught up with the historic winner about all things Saudi
The Kingdom is always making major moves in the world of sports, and with a stellar lineup of events announced for the new Riyadh Season (beginning this Friday b t dubs), we thought it was time to sit down and chat with a star fighter that made history last time around, Nassourdine Imavov, and get the real tea on being a part of the action in Riyadh.
Currently fighting in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Russian-born French fighter first discovered MMA after moving to France and taking up boxing, followed by his older brother Daguir and him joining Fernand Lopez’s MMA Factory.
Fast forward to the Riyadh fight, where the fighter took on former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya. The evening ended with Imavov winning by technical knockout within 30 seconds of the second round (an insane moment to witness, trust me, I was there), leading him to his first Performance of the Night award.
Here Nassourdine “The Sniper” Imavov talks about everything in Riyadh and Saudi Arabia, from malls, to the future of sports in Saudi Arabia.
What’s On: Take us through what was going on in your head before the fight in Riyadh?
Nassourdine Imavov: You know only positive vibes. When I went there, I went there with my team two weeks before the fight just to acclimate and everything. We were in a good mood, with good vibes and yeah, before the fight, in my head, I felt very confident, and it always helps when you have good vibes around you and good people around you. I knew I had to do the job, and I would do the job.
WO: Just 30 seconds into the second round, you won by knockout. Did you expect to win the way you did?
Imavov: You never know when it will arrive, but like I said, when I was in the locker room with my team, with my brother in the locker room training, just before entering the arena, going inside the cage, I was saying to my team, “No worries, guys, I know today is a win day, and I know I will knock him out. So, relax, guys; everything is going well.”
WO: What, in your opinion, makes Saudi Arabia, and Riyadh specifically in this case, a good backdrop for major fights like yours?
Imavov: I enjoyed the city; think it’s only the beginning for Riyadh. I think it’s only the beginning, what Riyadh showed already is big, but I think it’s only the beginning, and I think in the next year, it will be even bigger. I think it has big potential; there’s big potential there, and I’m looking forward to seeing it, and I’m looking forward to fighting again there in front of a big crowd.
WO: Were you able to do any interesting Riyadh activities while you were still in town?
Imavov: I didn’t do big things; I just like working with my friends there, with my team, going to the mall, and visiting a little bit. When I go to a place, it’s more about the atmosphere than the places. I felt that great atmosphere there. I don’t know how to describe it; it’s just cool to be there. I didn’t need to go anywhere special; just feeling the atmosphere and how it is there, how clean it is, and how secure it is is very important.
WO: Saudi Arabia is emerging as a new global hub for premier sporting events. How did the local fans compare to other crowds you’ve fought in front of globally?
Imavov: I think it’s still early; people aren’t used to it. But, you know, we saw during the open workouts; we saw that there were many of them coming, and that it’s becoming a part of the culture. I think the more events they have there, the bigger crowd they’ll have. It’s just like France; if you take France, like a few years ago, MMA was forbidden here, but right now when I’m fighting here, and it’s the biggest crowd in the world, it’s the best atmosphere in the world. I hope and I think that in the next years in Saudi, with all the development around sports, you will have big crowds, and attraction to sports.
WO: How do you see Saudi Arabia’s role in the future of MMA?
Imavov: I think it’s getting bigger and bigger; year after year it will get bigger there because there is a lot of investment and attention around sports, and it’s very important to the young generation. I think in the next years, there will be a lot of fans from Saudi Arabia, a lot of people knowing MMA coming from Saudi Arabia, and a lot of professionals in the sport coming from Saudi Arabia. Most importantly, I would like to come without fighting, to visit the country and the different places. It’s not only about sports; it’s also about visiting the country and feeling the atmosphere of the people there.
WO: What’s next for Imavov?
Imavov: We all know what’s next; it’s the belt.
Visit: ufc.com
Images: Getty
