Tofiq Musayev still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
After running through the competition in RIZIN and a couple of appearances under the Bellator MMA banner, the former lightweight grand prix champion will make his Octagon debut this Saturday when the promotion heads to his home country of Azerbaijan for UFC Baku.
There, the 35-year-old standout will square off with Myktybek Orolbai, a 16-fight veteran looking to bounce back after suffering a closely-contested split decision loss against Mateusz Rębecki in October.
While some suggest that Musayev’s best days are far behind him, the Orion Fight Club affiliate is ready to show the world that age is nothing but a number.
“People are always talking about my age, but I don’t feel old at all,” Musayev said during Wednesday’s UFC media day in Baku. “I feel great. Age is just a number for me. I have a lot of experience, and I believe experience is more important than age. I’m here to show everyone that I can still compete at the highest level and make a run for the title.”
Tofiq Musayev excited to show UFC fans what he’s capable of
Musayev goes into his promotional debut with big wins over Patricky Pitbull and Sidney Outlaw under his belt. Overall, he’s 22-5 with 18 of his wins coming by way of KO/TKO and a pair of submission finishes.
“It’s a dream of all fighters to be fighting in the UFC,” Musayev added. “It’s a different level of course. I feel very lucky that I’m here. I have fought in different organizations, but this is a unique one. I have prepared well and I am going to represent my country with pride. I have prepared specifically for my opponent.”
