Albazi dedicates victory to Baghdad’s twin suicide bombing victims

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

In another dominant performance, Amir Albazi defeated Zhumagulov via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in UFC 257 at Fight Island in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Making his second appearance in the promotion, Albazi, 27, has won three straight, including his first two in the UFC. The Sweden-born fighter of Iraqi descent has suffered only one loss at the hands of former UFC flyweight Jose Torres in his career.

He later dedicated his UFC victory to the victims of deadly Baghdad suicide bombing which hit the Iraqi Capital last week.

Albazi said: “A couple of days ago dozens of people died in Iraq, there were two suicide bombings. I want to dedicate this victory to them and to everyone who shed blood for my country, Iraq.”

On Thursday, 32 people died in back-to-back suicide bombings on a market in central Baghdad. More than 100 people were injured. Albazi was born in the Iraqi capital, but forced at age seven to flee the country with his family.

UFC 257 concluded a run of three shows in eight days with a few thousand fans allowed inside the promotion’s coronavirus bubble in Abu Dhabi. The promotion hadn’t held shows with fans since before the pandemic began last March.