LAS VEGAS – Amir Albazi isn’t the backup fighter for the next UFC flyweight title fight, but he still sees himself as next man up.
Following a close UFC on ESPN 45 main event victory over Kai Kara-France by split decision Saturday, Albazi (17-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) brushed off tweets from fellow contender Brandon Royval, who will serve as the backup for the UFC 290 co-main event between champion Brandon Moreno and challenger Alexandre Pantoja on July 8.
“That was the top three-ranked flyweight in the world, and I got the win against him,” Albazi told MMA Junkie and other reporters afterward. “I went five rounds, so I know I can go with these guys for five whole rounds. I know I’m ready for the title. I just want to go on for the next one, get my belt, and keep climbing, keep becoming the king that I know I am.
“… I got the win against the No. 3 in the world. Who else is it? Who else is above him? It’s Pantoja, Moreno, and I don’t know what’s going on with Deiveson Figueiredo. It seems like he doesn’t want to fight at flyweight. I’m the next one for the title. Brandon Royval, we were booked, and he pulled out of the fight. I don’t know what really happened. So it doesn’t make sense he goes before me and gets a title shot.”
Albazi remains undefeated in the promotion as he extends his winning streak to six. Three of his five UFC wins have come by finish.
Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) was deemed the UFC flyweight title fight backup fighter following a knockout win over fellow top contender Matheus Nicolau in April. The victory was his third in a row, a stretch that also includes wins over Matt Schnell and Rogerio Bontorin.
The upcoming title fight between Moreno (21-6-2 MMA, 9-3-2 UFC) and Pantoja (25-5 MMA, 9-3 UFC) is a rematch of a May 2018 bout. At UFC Fight Night 129, Pantoja defeated Moreno by unanimous decision. Moreno was eventually cut from the UFC, returned to the promotion, and went on to have two title reigns. Pantoja rides a three-fight winning streak into the bout.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 45.
