There is something about Makwan Amirkhani making his North American debut at Madison Square Garden as part of the biggest event of the year that just feels right.
A magnetic talent who has been one to watch in the featherweight division since winning his debut in eight seconds and then stealing the show at the post-fight press conference with his purple crushed velvet blazer, the 30-year-old Amirkhani is finally crossing the Atlantic to step into the Octagon for the first time.
“They knew that they needed somebody to handle this job and they knew that I could do it, so that’s why I’m here,” joked the ultra-confident Amirkhani, who enters this weekend’s showdown with New York native Shane Burgos on a two-fight winning streak.