"I prepared very seriously for this fight," says Azerbaijan's MMA fighter Zumrud Guliyeva, reflecting on her victory at a tournament in Kazakhstan.
Speaking to Idman.biz, the fighter discussed her performance at OCTAGON-69.
She explained that the fight was full of surprises: "With the support of my coaches, I trained intensively, morning and evening. I prepared both physically and psychologically for this fight. We focused mainly on the opponent's weaknesses, as we had analyzed her previous matches in detail. This helped me a lot. At the beginning of the fight, I dominated, but then she got the upper hand. Honestly, I hadn't planned for that to happen. However, when the situation changed, I didn't lose my focus. I got back on my feet, fought till the end, and won before the first round ended. The final move was a planned technique. I knew she would try to attack my leg, and I would defeat her with a submission. We had prepared for this a month in advance."
Guliyeva, who has previously been the Azerbaijani champion, is confident that this victory will be followed by more: "I have other achievements in MMA, but this was my first fight abroad. Despite my opponent being 11 years older, I defeated her with a submission. I will continue to strive for victories in future competitions. Some people may not believe it, but before this fight, many thought girls couldn't move forward in this sport like the boys. I proved them wrong, and I will keep proving them wrong."
Zumrud Guliyeva, representing ASED and the Simral club, faced local fighter Rusalina Mulikova in Kazakhstan. The fight, in the 52.2 kg weight class, ended in the first round with Zumrud winning by submission.
Idman.biz
