Athletes
Nasrat Haqparast: Sharp In The Moment
UFC Lightweight Nasrat Haqparast Eyes The Top 15 And Heading Into 2024 On A Three-Fight Win Streak
A pair of dropped decisions against top-ranked foes didn’t alter Nasrat Haqparast’s self-belief for a second. He has always felt that if he’s focused and sharp in the moment, then his best will always be enough.
And his best is certainly quality enough to be in the lightweight Top 15.
“Look, I lost to three good guys, all of them are in the Top 15,” Haqparast told UFC.com. “It’s no excuse. I want to be the best in the world, but now I need to keep winning.”
Coming off consecutive defeats to Dan Hooker and Bobby Green, and with a 2020 loss to Drew Dober, the key for Haqparast to get back in the win column and start stacking wins was focusing on getting healthy. That’s why after his win over John Makdessi in September of 2022, he decided to take some time away from the Octagon.
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With getting the body right as priority number one, things fell into place for Haqparast who returned to action at UFC 293 after just over a year on the sidelines.
“I focused on my health during that year. When I got healthy, I just started training and not even thinking about a fight,” Haqparast said. “A lot of fights I took with bad injuries, and I just went in with high potential. This fight felt good because the training camp was good, and I had no injuries.”
Nasrat Haqparast Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night: Song vs Gutierrez
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Nasrat Haqparast Fight Week Interview | UFC Fight Night: Song vs Gutierrez
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His opponent that night was The Ultimate Fighter season 31 contestant Landon Quiñones, who stepped in on short notice after a fight with Sam Patterson fell through. Quiñones didn’t back down one bit versus Haqparast, and the two delivered a highly entertaining bout that featured plenty of exciting exchanges on the feet.
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All the judges saw the bout as a 30-27 victory for Haqparast and, for the third time in his 11-fight UFC career, the 28-year-old lightweight found himself on a UFC win streak.
“It’s all about winning,” Haqparast said. “This is what I’m looking for on Saturday.”
This weekend, Haqparast is set to face Jamie Mullarkey at UFC Fight Night: Song vs Gutierrez, which was initially scheduled to happen in Shanghai, China.
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Although Haqparast was looking forward to competing in Shanghai, he’s content with another fight week in the UFC APEX. What’s more important to Haqparast than where he’s fighting or how many people are in the crowd is the type of fight he finds himself in.
With Quiñones, it was a back-and-forth strikers’ delight that made both men dig deep and put it all on the line. That’s what Haqparast wants things to be like this weekend with Mullarkey.
“I think he’s a good fighter. He’s well-rounded. He’s more of a striker and his nickname is “Hooligan” and I like this,” Haqparast said. “I hope he’s going to bring the “Hooligan” out on Saturday because I’m coming for a violent fight. I hope we can bring a great striking battle.”
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Adding a third win in a row, and in the type of fight that Haqparast is hoping to have, would certainly be the right way to announce that he’s healthy and ready to be back in the lightweight Top 15 mix.
“For sure, I look for the Top 15. I have my eyes on the Top 15 to make a great run,” Haqparast said. “And this time I’m healthy as I say it.
“I am confident.”
UFC Fight Night: Song vs Gutierrez took place live from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on December 9, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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