Saba Lazashvili, a 21-year-old Georgian wrestler, secured an upset victory against former WEC champion Urijah Faber at the RAF Abu Dhabi event on Saturday.
The newcomer competed on short notice after gaining recent notoriety for his involvement in a confrontation involving Merab Dvalishvili and Usman Nurmagomedov, according to Yahoo Sports.
Lazashvili initially struggled during the match, trailing through the first two periods of the contest.
He staged a comeback in the final period by utilizing his wrestling skills to secure a takedown and turn Faber multiple times to accumulate points, as noted by social media reports.
The final score reached 12-7 in favor of Lazashvili, as Faber was unable to generate sufficient offense to close the gap.
Following the conclusion of the match, Lazashvili expressed his appreciation to the crowd for their support.
He stated, “I want to say thank you to everybody coming here and supporting,” as reported by Yahoo Sports.
During his post-match comments, Lazashvili also referenced the confidence placed in him by his teammate.
He noted, “[Merab] said I will be champion of the UFC in the future! I’ll wrestle everybody here.”
The victory marks a significant career moment for the athlete, who was not originally scheduled to compete in the tournament before his recent surge in popularity.
His performance on Saturday was described as an ultra-impressive showing by observers, particularly given the short preparation time, the outlets reported.
Given the circumstances surrounding his rise to prominence, industry analysts suggest this win may lead to further major opportunities for the young competitor.
Lazashvili remains focused on his trajectory within the sport after successfully navigating the challenges presented by his opponent in the third period of their bout.