UFC: Dubai-based Mounir Lazzez wants place among MMA elite

Dubai: Dubai-based Tunisian fighter Mounir Lazzez oozed confidence and forethought as he talked opening about his upcoming fight against Brazilian Warlley Alves which takes place at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Lazzez (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), made history last July when he upset Abdul Razak Alhassan to become the first Arab-born and Arab-raised fighter signed to the UFC to get his hand raised. That win triggered a thirst which has encouraged him to look even beyond Alves (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC) and go for a permanent place on the UFC roster.

He says he is determined to take his place among MMA’s elite, a place where he believes he belongs. “I have believed in myself since day one,” he said. “I knew that one day I will be here, doing what I have to do. If I finish Alves early in this fight, I will ask Dana (White) to give me a fight after three days.

“If there’s anyone at lightweight, welterweight or middleweight, for real, I mean it. This is what martial arts is about. I’m not here just (to) give me four months, give me two months to fight. I’m ready anytime, anywhere, and I mean it.”

However, Lazzez stressed that for the moment he was focused on fighting Alves in what he described as a fight with “fireworks”.

“All is well, preparations were good we’re ready to go,” he said. “He’s coming to fight I’m coming to fight. That’s the main thing. We’re going to entertain people it’s going to be fireworks. I just want to win, the performance doesn’t matter. I want to be just focused and I want to leave an impression. That’s the main objective. It’s going to be good fight, and a good win.”