Kurdish mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Namo Fazil, known to fans as “Saif, Grandson Of Saladin,” delivered a spectacular third-round knockout against Chechen fighter Yakub Suleimanov at the 971 Fighting Championship 2 event in Dubai, UAE on Saturday.
Before the match, in a video to his Instagram profile, Fazil dedicated his fight to the Kurdish people and asked Kurds to support him.
“This fight is for the Kurds, for the pride of Kurds. I’m not doing this fight for myself. It’s for my nation. I need to show everyone who we are. Because we are not Turks, Arabs, or Iranians. We are Kurds. We need to show Kurdistan to the whole world. I will show Kurdish will and power.”
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Veteran referee Grant Waterman informed the crowd that 971 FC promoter Mounir Lazzez had pledged a $20,000 bonus to whichever fighter scored a knockout, which Fazil managed to do, making Suleimanov lose his first match. Lazzez made sure both men shook hands.
The intense fight was preceded by a fiery press conference exchange between the two fighters. “Brother, I come from Kurdistan, Iraq. We are dangerous out here,” Fazil warned Suleimanov before the match.
“ Look, this is a sport. Obviously, we need some hatred to make people watch us,” Namo said after the fight. “He's an amazing fighter,” he said about his opponent. “I have nothing but respect for him. Truly a great fighter. One of the toughest fights I’ve had.”
Fazil, proudly representing his Kurdish heritage, has been building a loyal fan base across the Middle East. With this latest victory, Fazil continues to cement his status as a fighter to watch, not just for Kurdish fans, but for MMA followers around the globe.
Currently, there are many Kurds participating in international fighting championships.
For instance, German Kurdish boxer Agit Kabayel won the WBC Interim World Heavyweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in February.
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