SAN JOSE, Calif. – Promotional debuts don’t get much better than the one Tofiq Musayev had in July 2022.
Musayev needed just 27 seconds to put Sidney Outlaw away with a knockout that had people buzzing. Although hardcore fans knew of Musayev from his fights for Rizin in Japan, much of the American audience didn’t get a chance to see him until his KO of Outlaw.
“It’s a great feeling to finish your first fight, and that fast,” Musayev told MMA Junkie at a Wednesday media day for Bellator 292 in San Jose, Calif. “My goal here is to come to perform for the fans, to show great fights, to win the audience here – and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing. It’s a great feeling.”
Musayev (20-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) takes on Alexander Shabliy (22-3 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) in a quarterfinal bout in Bellator’s lightweight grand prix. They fight in Bellator 292’s co-main event just ahead of lightweight champ Usman Nurmagomedov, who puts his belt on the line against Benson Henderson in another opening-round tournament fight.
Even though Musayev knows who his next opponent will be – the winner of Patricky Freire vs. A.J. McKee later this year – he sees no need to put the cart before the horse.
“I don’t like talking too much,” he said. “I don’t care about the other seven guys in the tournament. I’m here to show my friends who I am, and my job is going to do the talking, not my words.”
Bellator 292 takes place Friday at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.
Check out Musayev’s full media day interview in the video above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 292.
Tofiq Musayev knows his 27-second KO Bellator debut got lightweight division’s attention