The “Lazy King” is able to placed on a “lazy present” for “lazy folks.”
With a file of 15-1, Abdoul Abdouraguimov is seen by many as probably MMA’s finest prospect outdoors of a significant promotion, if somebody with 16 skilled fights could be even thought-about a prospect.
Born in Dagestan, Abdouraguimov has made it a precedence to turn out to be fluent in English, reduce promos, placed on thrilling fights, end opponents, and show his quirky persona. So why isn’t he the UFC?
“That is the actual query,” Abdouraguimov just lately instructed MMA Junkie. “Myself, even everybody round me, we don’t know. UFC is a non-public firm. They do what they need. Truthfully, I don’t know why. At the moment, it’s a enterprise. You need to know some good folks on the earth to get previous. At the moment, I don’t have this type of connection, these robust connections. That’s why with ready. I’m a man, I wish to keep constructive. I’ll do my job and we’ll see if the alternatives are going to return to us after every combat. It’s all the time one thing new that comes, so we’ll see. We’re very constructive. Let’s see what occurs.”
🇫🇷Recap #02:
Le jeudi 3 février 2022 avait lieu #ARES3:
🇫🇷Abdoul Abdouraguimov -🇧🇷Godofredo Pepey
Le fight pour le titre à 77kg a tenu ses (courtes) promesses.
✅Victoire par soumission à 2:54min de la fin du premier spherical.
Bravo @LazyKingMMA qui passe à (14-1) pic.twitter.com/6NT2M4KNJ7— French MMA (@FrenchMma_) February 7, 2022
In a day and age the place the “new breed” of blended martial artists, fighters who began working towards at a younger age, is spotlighted, Abdouraguimov is a uncommon exception. Whereas he wrestled since 16, he started his MMA fighter path at 21. Inside two weeks, he was a blue belt. He turned professional with none newbie bouts.
Abdouraguimov credit a lot of his swift success to an uncommon fighter attribute that earned him his nickname: laziness. Don’t get it twisted, Abdouraguimov places within the work, however solely when he feels prefer it, when it’s mandatory.
“I’ve a lazy character,” Abdouraguimov stated. “It’s lazy however good. I’m able to work. I’m able to work arduous and all these items, but when it isn’t environment friendly, I don’t need it. For me, it should be environment friendly and optimized. I’m smart-lazy. … To be lazy, you’re going to get much less injured. An excessive amount of work isn’t good. An excessive amount of of something isn’t good. I see some newbie fighters. They prepare greater than me. They prepare 4 or 5 occasions a day.”
From Dagestan to Germany to France, Abdouraguimov has been world wide. That’s why he doesn’t wish to single out one particular area, location, or group of individuals he represents. However he does perceive the worth in connecting with followers by way of language and persona.
Simply take a look at the time he stole the present – from the gang – throughout a possible No. 1 contender combat for his ARES FC welterweight title.
Throughout this break, Abdoul Abdouraguimov warms up the viewers within the dome 🤣🤣 #ARES9 pic.twitter.com/1ZruDDsTpm
— ARES Preventing Championship (@ares_fighting) November 3, 2022
Multilingual, Abdouraguimov is presently pushed because the face of ARES, a France-based promotion. Already a star amongst followers within the area, Abdouraguimov appeared to many to be a shoo-in for the UFC’s debut in Paris this previous September.
Regardless of a “Submission of the 12 months” candidate triangle towards UFC alum Godofredo Pepey, and a one-sided mauling of Bellator alum Karl Ammosou that led to a physician stoppage, the decision from the UFC by no means got here. Abdouraguimov attended the occasion as a fan as an alternative – all swagged out, in fact.
As he walked the streets of Paris within the hours previous to the occasion, Abdouraguimov had an opportunity encounter with an important participant within the grand scheme of issues, UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard.
“I went to speak with him just a little bit and he stated, ‘Sure, I do know you,’ however he doesn’t have the facility to make (these) selections,” Abdouraguimov stated.
Maynard is answerable for the UFC ladies’s divisions, in addition to males’s flyweight, middleweight, gentle heavyweight, and heavyweight. Sean Shelby heads the welterweight division’s matchmaking and is the one Abdouraguimov would’ve most popular to run into.
Vous connaissez tous ma propagande acharnée pour Abdoul , vous pensez vraiment que j’allais laisser Mick Maynard 🇺🇸 (recruteur ufc) . Ce baladé tranquillement dans la capitale ? 😂
C’est mal connaitre MMAPropagande 😈.. #ABDOULATUFC
Trad en com au cas ou 🤷🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/uEhDGLQKBV— MMA PROPAGANDE 👊🇫🇷 (@MMAPropagande) September 4, 2022
Till the UFC alternative comes, nevertheless, Abdouraguimov plans to maintain doing what he’s good at: successful. In the meantime, his supporters will proceed their marketing campaign of adorning the UFC’s remark sections with crown and koala emojis, an ode to Abdouraguimov’s impromptu upside-down victory celebration.
Le Lazy present
🤸🦥 pic.twitter.com/Jj6NYo6129— ABDOUL ABDOURAGUIMOV (@LazyKingMMA) February 17, 2022
With 12 finishes in 15 professional appearances, Abdouraguimov has already captured one title and can go for a second division’s strap Jan. 20 at ARES FC 11 vs. Rafal Haratyk (16-4-2). If the decision comes thereafter, Abdouraguimov will nonetheless be prepared.
“It’s apparent I’ll deliver the lazy present to the American folks,” Abdouraguimov stated. “I’m the ‘Lazy King’ and I’m making the lazy present. There will not be many fighters who could make a combat and who could make a present. I could make each. I can speak in English. Present me lots of fighters who got here from Dagestan, Russia who can speak English and who will not be shy to speak. I’m not shy to speak. I’m not shy to make a present, a efficiency. I’m not shy to combat, additionally.
“Even in my fights, I don’t know the way it’s going to be completed. I, myself, in certainly one of my final fights, was shocked I hit an inverted triangle choke. I had by no means achieved it in my life. I’m very artistic and you’ll count on the sudden. I’ll placed on a ‘Lazy King’ present.”
Try MMA Junkie’s full interview with “The Lazy King” beneath:
