Outside Source
Younousov (8-0) claims he was willing to step up on short notice to fight Nathaniel Wood (23-6) at UFC Paris after the Englishman’s original opponent withdrew from the upcoming event. He claims Wood allegedly turned down the matchup, viewing it as a risky move.
Aboubakar Younousov says Nathaniel Wood rejected short-notice UFC Paris fight
Younousov, the Ares FC bantamweight champion, was even willing to move up a weight class to face Wood. He believes Wood turned down the matchup as certain surnames, primarily those that originate from the Caucasus regions, are feared across mixed martial arts.
“As you know, another fighter ultimately stepped in as a replacement because Nathaniel Wood refused to face me,” Younosov wrote on Instagram. “Yet, the odds were stacked in his favor: weight, training camp, and experience. Honestly, I’m actually pleased about it, because it shows I’m feared. For my part, I was ready to take the fight at a moment’s notice. These days, getting into the UFC is very difficult when your surname ends in ‘ov’ or ‘ev.’”
Younosov believes he has to work harder than others to make it to the UFC, but is confident that it is an inevitability.
“Consequently, I have to work five times harder than everyone else to get the same opportunities,” Younosov added. “In any case, we did everything in our power. I also want to give a special thanks to my manager for his work, his efforts, and his commitment. Guys, everything is fine. It’s only a matter of time before I make it to the UFC and succeed there. I am 10,000% convinced of it.”
Wood’s original opponent for UFC Paris, Mairon Santos, pulled out a week before fight night and undefeated Moldovan Pavel Andrusca (8-0) has now stepped up on short notice to face “The Last Kingsman” on Sept. 5 at Accor Arena in the French capital.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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