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SCRAPP! FIGHT MAGAZINE
February - 2015
35
was an underdog with a
good record, but he was
fighting out of organiza-
tions you have most likely
never heard of. Upon a
more examined look at his
record, he clearly isn’t that
well rounded. He had won
eight of his eleven victories
by submission.
When the bell rang at UFC
on FOX 14, he ran to the
middle of the octagon and
delivered a flying knee
that crumpled Ogle and
followed up with strikes
until the ref pulled him
off. Color commentator
Joe Rogan questioned the
stoppage, but rather than
voicing it in a moderate
fashion from the booth, he
asked the debuting fighter
what he thought of the
stoppage during the post
fight interview. Twitter lit
up with MMA fans ques-
tioning Rogan’s judgement
and professionalism.
It was at this point that
Amirkhani’s
personality
began to shine. Without
a thought he answered
Rogan with a compliment
and asked him for a hug.
Following the event he
was brought into a post
fight scrum session with
the media where he was
candid and humble, while
still charming all around
him.
In the post-fight press con-
ference, it was brought
up that he had a video of
himself on YouTube that
had gone viral. Of what
you may ask? Amirkhani
eating an apple. The hu-
mor didn’t escape him and
he played off the poten-
tially embarrassing video
into his favor. He was also
awarded a $50,000 bo-
nus for his efforts against
Andy Ogle. When asked
what he would do with
the money he responded
with a heartfelt story that
pulled at the emotional
strings of anyone that has
experienced poverty.
Explaining how he, his sis-
ter and his mother live in
a small two-room apart-
ment he shared that he
would be purchasing the
best possible bed he could
for his mother, who has
been sleeping on a mat in
the living room. His looks
and suave personality will
take him far provided that
his skills in the cage con-
tinue to show themselves
in similar fashion, but the
humanity of that story
will take him farther. Fans
latched on to McGregor in
the beginning for a num-
ber of reasons, but he too
was open about his im-
poverished lifestyle.
In the world of prize fight-
ing, it’s all about relating
to the athletes. Amirkhani
has a story with many lay-
ers, and it’s all very hon-
est and real. While he told
the story he maintained a
smile, but you could see
the pain and his genuine
happiness for the money
he had earned. If he can
do anything like what he
did to Andy Ogle to his fu-
ture opponents, the sky is
the limit for him.