On February 24th at UFC Fight Night 237 in Mexico, Tajik lightweight Muhammadjon Naimov will have his third UFC fight against Brazilian Erik Silva.
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In an exclusive interview with Telecomasia.net, Naimov shared:
- how he came to America and got into MMA;
- how Cory Sandhagen helped him bounce back from two losses;
- why Fedor Emelianenko still wants to fight at an advanced age;
- when he wants to take the belt from Ilia Topuria.
"I watched McGregor vs Diaz and realized I wanted that too"
- You were a promising Taekwondo athlete. Why did you decide to give up on a career in the sport and the Olympic dream?
- First of all, our taekwondo was not an Olympic sport. It was ITF, while the Olympic sport is WTF. When I was training in 2015, it was tough financially. My father was in debt, so I decided to quit taekwondo, fly to America and work to help my parents.
- Did you go to America not to build a fighting career, but to make money?
- Yes, I had such goals and plans. I finished my sports career in my home country, Tajikistan.
- How did you get into MMA while working as a taxi driver, waiter, etc.?
In 2016, when I was in Florida for three months, there was a fight between Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor. All the seats were taken, all the tickets were sold out. I said to myself, why not give it a try.
I was not only a taekwondo fighter, but I also fought in the streets. There were always street fights in Tajikistan. I told myself that although I lacked wrestling and grappling skills, I had the spirit. Why not try it? Later, when I was struggling financially, I got an offer. They called me from Tajikistan and offered me to represent the country in the Amateur MMA World Championship. They paid for my food and lodging for one month. It was a good offer for me. I flew to Las Vegas and I was overwhelmed. All the stars were walking the streets. I felt like I was in Ireland because there were so many McGregor fans. Nate Diaz had a lot of support too. That's when I realized that's what I wanted, to be famous and have that kind of popularity.
- How did you perform at the World Championship?
- I won the first fight and lost the second on points. Then my career took off.
- Do you remember your first professional fight? What did you feel?
- I fought in 2018. I only had records on my mind; I wanted to get into the UFC quickly, which made me very nervous. I won my first professional fight by knockout.
Bet on MMA with 1xBet"Sandhagen made me believe that everything would work out"
- When did you realize that you could make a living from fighting and didn't need to get another job?
- I still don't make the kind of money that really motivates me. I got a bonus for my first UFC fight, but the taxes are high. Plus, I spend a lot on my camps, food and a nutritionist. I only have one sponsor. Ruslan Shamanov from 'Caucasus Express' supports me. I don't feel much difference in my life, but now I find joy in my work. I say to myself, 'Muhammad, it's hard now, but believe me, after two or three fights, with the help of the Almighty, everything will be fine'. There will be a new contract with good money and everything will be fine.
- You didn't make it to the UFC on your first try. You lost in Dana White's Contender Series and then in the Titan FC title fight. What helped you overcome those setbacks, come back and achieve your goal?
- Every fighter has their ups and downs, but at that moment I had fantastic people by my side. In the first case, I took a fight on short notice, struggled to make weight, went out and lost. The next time, I thought I had won the Titan FC title fight, but my opponent was awarded the win. When I got out of the cage, I told myself that I would keep working because I could make good money in America. Cory Sandhagen, my teammate, was in my corner and he said, 'You have it all, you work hard, you grind in training. Everything comes in its own time. Believe in yourself, wait a little bit and everything will work out.' I am grateful to him for that. He was right, and it did happen.
- You have a good command of Russian and English. How difficult was it to learn foreign languages, and which one was more challenging?
- I studied in a Tajik class at school, because we had only one class in Russian, while the rest was in Tajik. I still have problems with Russian grammar, but I try to communicate a lot to practice the language. Because my parents were very demanding, my sister and I attended preparatory courses from childhood. I knew a lot of words in English. When I came to America, I could understand people, but I couldn't communicate with them. It took me eight to ten months to learn how to express my thoughts, and then it became easier.
"Fedor Emelianenko has enough money, but his love for the sport burns bright"
- Two outstanding Russian fighters, Fedor Emelianenko and Khabib Nurmagomedov, have been your sources of inspiration as well. What do you think about one retiring at the peak of his fame and the other continuing to compete at a mature age, even being ready to fight at 47?
- I admire Fedor because my dad is a big fan of his. We have been watching PRIDE together since we were kids, watching all of Fedor's fights and rooting for him. It's disappointing when he loses and it's nerve-wracking to see him compete at this age. Quitting at the peak of your career is very challenging. Muhammad Ali made the same mistake. He always said that a certain fight would be his last, but he kept coming back. It's all driven by the love of the sport.
I am sure that Fedor Emelianenko has the money and the fame, but his passion for the sport burns bright. He just wants to keep doing this. I think every day when he wakes up he wants to go to the gym. He misses the performances, which makes it hard for him to stop.
I call Khabib a discipline machine. He went through hard times when his father died. He promised his mother that this would be his last fight and he kept his word. I'm sure Khabib misses the weight cuts, fights and training, but he honors his word above everything else.
- Your father is an MMA fan and he has even traveled with you to tournaments. How does he support you before the fights?
- Since childhood, he has attended all my Taekwondo competitions. He always gives me moral support. Every time I call him, he says, 'Come on, stay strong! I believe in you, you can do it like you did it in your previous fights.' The first time he came to Abu Dhabi, I felt a different energy. It's hard to put into words. I was struggling during the weight cut, but having my dad there was so comforting, it was indescribable. It was like having an extra battery. God willing, my dad will be by my side at every fight in the future.
- How do you rate the new UFC champion in your weight class, Ilia Topuria, and how do you plan to beat him to become champion?
- Of course that goal is on my mind. I have plans to claim the belt in 2025. Topuria is a very good fighter, very dangerous. Everyone says he's strong in grappling, which is evident by the fact that he has a black belt in jiu-jitsu. He's also a Greco-Roman wrestler and has excellent striking combinations. I've seen his weaknesses and I believe I can compete with him even now. The time will come and I'll show it in action. I think he'll be champion for a while and maybe defend the title three or four times before he faces me.
- Alex Volkanovski decided to take a break after two consecutive knockouts. Is his time over or is he able to revive his career?
- The most important thing is how much one believes in oneself. Volkanovski is a very talented fighter who has inspired a lot of fans. I know he trains very hard; I follow his training on YouTube, so I believe he can make a comeback.
- What do you think about your upcoming opponent, Brazilian Erik Silva, and how do you see this fight going?
- He's a worthy opponent, well-rounded, with good grappling. But he has never fought anyone like me. I'm ready to finish him, just like my previous opponents.
