Nazim Sadykhov was raised in Baku, Azerbaijan, living there until he was six or seven, when his family moved to the United States, settling in Brooklyn.
In 2023, the ascending lightweight got the opportunity to compete in New York City, battling Viacheslav Borshchev to a draw at UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. This weekend, he’ll cross another item off his professional bucket list as he returns to his hometown to face off with Nikolas Motta on the main card of the UFC’s debut event at Baku Crystal Palace on Saturday.
“It’s like…” began Sadykhov before pausing, trying to find the words to explain what the opportunity to compete in Baku means to him.