Vugar Karamov, Azerbaijan's MMA fighter representing the Gabala Sports Club, shared his insights in an interview with Idman.biz.
- In your eighth fight at the Rizin tournament, you secured your sixth victory. How would you describe your fight against Kazumasa Majima in Japan?
- This fight was very important for me. I had lost my last fight and hadn’t participated in any competitions for a long time. So, it was crucial to win to get into the title fight. I trained hard and achieved my goal.
- It only took you 28 seconds to win. If someone had told you you'd win this quickly, would you have believed them?
- This is sports. Every second counts. What's important is who wins at the right moment. Being fast plays a huge role. Of course, you also need to be technically prepared for the fight. Once you combine all the elements, it’s possible to finish everything quickly.
- Let me ask it another way. Were you very strong, or was your opponent weak?
- My opponent was not weak at all. He’s a seasoned athlete with many fights. I had just prepared very well. I was very hungry for victory in the ring. I wanted a great win. I’m glad I managed to achieve that.
- How was your preparation for the tournament?
- I trained for a month in Dagestan. I also participated in numerous training camps. We worked on physical and tactical preparation with strong athletes. During that period, I didn’t face significant difficulties. However, before every competition, there's always a bit of struggle, because we spend about three weeks losing weight. I had to lose 15-16 kilograms. That part is always tough, but once the weight is off, everything else is in the past.
- You had a defeat in the tournament in Baku. Do you feel like you've achieved your goal now?
- I regret losing in Baku, but that’s sports – you can’t predict who will win. We must look forward. So, I’ve put that fight behind me. After this fight, I asked for a rematch with him. I hope they will create that opportunity for me.
- What are your future goals?
- I have a lot of work ahead of me. Our coaches are negotiating with a few organizations. I might fight for the title at Rizin, or we could cooperate with others. No decision has been made yet.
Banuchichek Huseynli
Idman.biz
