A bruised Amir Albazi issues video statement on UFC Edmonton loss to Brandon Moreno from hospital
Amir Albazi has put forth a video statement in the wake of his defeat against ex-UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno. The visibly bruised Albazi suggested that he'll spend the night at the hospital, which is where he appears to have recorded the video thanking his supporters.
Many in the MMA community have hailed Albazi as a rising star in the UFC flyweight division. He was unbeaten in the UFC before his aforementioned loss.
The Iraq-born combatant had last competed in June 2023, besting Kai Kara-France via split decision. Albazi dealt with serious health issues before and after the fight, undergoing two surgeries. One was to deal with his "supraventricular tachycardia," a disorder marked by irregular heartbeat. The other was to help deal with his neck injury.
Amir Albazi finally returned to the octagon for the first time since June 2023, facing Brandon Moreno in the headlining match of UFC Edmonton on Nov. 2, 2024. The one-sided fight witnessed Moreno defeat 'The Prince' via unanimous decision. The judges' scorecards were a 49-46, 50-45, and 50-45 verdict in favor of Moreno.
Albazi subsequently posted a video of himself to his social media handle. He suggested that Moreno was the better fighter on the night, congratulating the Mexican on his victory. Moreover, the 31-year-old indicated that he'll make a triumphant return from this setback:
"I didn't think I gonna spend the night in the hospital. But Brandon Moreno was a better man tonight. It's not our night. But like he said, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow. I would be back. I will be back better than this. Thank you guys for all the support."
Check out Amir Albazi's comments below:
Amir Albazi shed light on the lowest point during battle with health problems
During a recent interview with Shakiel Mahjouri, Amir Albazi was asked about his challenging 16-month hiatus dating back to June 2023 and when he was feeling the lowest during that timeframe that was replete with health issues. Albazi responded by saying:
"I remember when the doctor tells me like, 'Hey, I'm talking to you brother to another brother. Try to find a nine-to-five [job].' That was like, I sat in the car, it took me 15 minutes. I'm just quiet. I'm thinking wait a second. I didn't come this far to just -- that's it? I gonna go to a nine-to-five? So that was hard going through. Even if I knew I was going to continue, it's hard hearing it from a doctor."
Furthermore, Albazi implied that he wasn't going to finish his career like that. He knew something was wrong with his health heading into the Kai Kara-France fight but was diagnosed with the heart condition only after the fight. He underwent surgery for it and resumed training but then had issues operating his left arm.
Albazi was later diagnosed with a neck issue, with one doctor even warning him that he had a spinal cord injury and should quit fighting altogether. Nevertheless, 'The Prince' underwent another surgery. He worked his way back to fighting shape despite facing tough days where even regular exercise wasn't feasible. Albazi's return materialized against Moreno, and he's vowed to continue fighting.
Check out Amir Albazi's comments below (9:24):