Amir Albazi blames himself for close decision, argues he’s next for UFC title shot over Brandon Royval

Amir Albazi’s first UFC most major occasion can were marred by controversy, but after a back-and-forth battle that ended in a split willpower over Kai Kara-France, Albazi soundless left with one other gain on his file.

It used to be a indispensable 2nd for Albazi, who sought to set himself as a reliable threat to the flyweight title and support his momentum churning after a red-hot 4-0 originate his UFC profession. And whereas the head result in the crash went his way and saved his jog alive, Albazi is conscious of he has no person responsible but himself for allowing Kara-France to stay spherical for all 5 rounds, namely after in relation to ending the battle with an early rear-naked choke submission.

“I had too powerful relaxing,” Albazi said at some level of the UFC Vegas 74 post-battle existing. “I tried to glean into a fist battle. I would possibly perhaps presumably presumably be like, ‘You mediate you’ve received a factual factual hand, I have a factual factual hand too.’ I didn’t in point of fact practice my game thought. If I’d have adopted my game thought, I’d have taken him out in the third spherical.”

Even supposing the battle used to be close throughout, Albazi is soundless assured he did sufficient to glean the victory — although he is conscious of it’s never a straightforward job when the judges glean entangled.

“I knew I was doing extra — extra than him,” Albazi said. “He tried to play a shrimp extra defense, but with the judges on the present time, I do no longer want any clue. I’m going away it as a lot as God. I’m a particular person of God, so I’m like, whoever goes to [win this], it’s staunch a discovering out experience.

“But I pulled out the gain. I thought I did a shrimp extra than him so all factual. I received the gain, now onto the next one, onto the title. That’s what I’d like.”

With Saturday’s lead to the rear-search, Albazi is ready to make use of his first most major-occasion gain to propel himself in direction of the next draw in his profession: Claiming a UFC title at 125 kilos.

That’s why Albazi didn’t name out any single fighter by identify after his gain but as a alternative saved his consideration excited by the upcoming flyweight title bout between reigning champion Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja, which serves as UFC 290’s co-most major occasion in July.

Ideally, Albazi hopes to back to search who holds the title after Moreno vs. Pantoja after which face the winner on the UFC’s expected Abu Dhabi occasion in October. That’s despite fellow flyweight contender Brandon Royval, who also sits on the subject of the head of the division with a three-battle gain jog of his hang, alongside side a knockout over Matheus Nicolau in his last time out.

“I’m the next one for the title,” Albazi said. “I do know I’m the next one. Brandon Royval says he’s the next one but he pulled out of the battle against me. He can not trudge before me. It is possible you’ll presumably presumably no longer pull out of a battle after which strive to trudge before me for the title, so I’m next.

“After I glean my title, I’m able to battle him for the title defense.”

If the UFC has other solutions — like presumably struggling with Royval in a No. 1 contender’s match — Albazi for plod obtained’t turn it down, namely as he seeks to veil he’s the most productive flyweight on this planet no matter the opponent.

“I’m able to rob any individual on this weight class,” Albazi said. “Anybody in the division that needs to battle, I’m always game. So in the occasion that they’re attempting to present me one other one, then I’m going to placed on a build, a factual build.”