Aboubakar
Younousov blames his surname for a missed opportunity to make
an
Ultimate Fighting Championship debut.
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.
Advertisement
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.