Ottman Azaitar continues push to bring UFC to Africa

LAS VEGAS – Ottman Azaitar is still campaigning for the UFC to come to Morocco.

Born to Moroccan parents, undefeated lightweight Azaitar (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made an electric promotional debut, when he knocked out Teemu Packalen at UFC 242 in September in Abu Dhabi.

He joined brother Abu Azaitar on the roster, who also had a successful UFC debut in October 2018, defeating Vitor Miranda via unanimous decision.

And with their ever-growing popularity in Morocco, the Azaitar brothers may be the perfect duo to bring the octagon to their home country.

“I left this question to you, I said Morocco is happy to host UFC and everything is possible in Morocco,” Azaitar said Saturday at Dominance MMA media day. “Me and my brother, we represent Morocco in the UFC, and we would love the UFC to come to Morocco. We’d never been in Africa, we have a lot of African UFC fighters in the UFC. We have champions like Kamaru Usman, we have other champions too in UFC so anytime UFC want to come to Morocco, we have everything.”

Before heading to the UFC, Azaitar headlined a show in Tangier, Morocco, delivering a 32-second knockout at Brave CF 14, which makes him confident that Morocco is more than capable of hosting a UFC event.

“We have venues, we have flights, we have hotels, we have anything,” Azaitar said. “It’s secure there, anything UFC might need there, it’s just a matter of the management, the UFC and what Ali makes out of it with the UFC but anytime, welcome.”

Azaitar is scheduled to return to action on April 18, when he takes on Khama Worthy at UFC 249 in Brooklyn. Despite having a near one-hundred percent finishing rate, Azaitar doesn’t see a specific way this fight pans out.

“I’m happy anytime to fight,” Azaitar said. “I take any opponent serious, I prepare like always, I never give predictions…as long as I give my best, it will go the best way, how it has to go.”