Azerbaijani MMA fighter Vugar Karamov is preparing to return to the cage at the prestigious Rizin tournament in Japan. He will face local fighter Ryo Takagi on September 10.
The bout is important for Karamov not only as his next appearance in the promotion, but also as an opportunity to strengthen his position in Rizin and move one step closer to a title fight at the end of the year.
Karamov recently returned to Azerbaijan after holding part of his training camp in Dagestan. He is currently completing the final stage of his preparations and cutting weight ahead of the fight.
In an interview with İdman.Biz, Karamov spoke about his preparations, Takagi's strengths and his goals in Rizin.
– How are your preparations for the fight against Ryo Takagi going?
– Thank God, the preparations are going very well. I spent part of my training camp in Dagestan and have already returned home. I'm currently cutting weight and following a diet. Overall, both my recovery and training are going very well.
– How would you describe your opponent? What is his main strength?
– Takagi prefers to fight on his feet. He doesn't use wrestling techniques very much and mainly relies on punches and kicks.
– What tactics are you planning to use in the fight?
– My tactic is to fight until the very last second. With God's help, as soon as I get an opportunity, I will try to force my opponent to submit.
– What does fighting in Japan at Rizin mean to you?
– Rizin is one of the world's top five most prestigious MMA organisations. That's why fighting here, proving myself and winning is a great honour and a source of pride for me.
– What are your main expectations and goals for this fight?
– My main goal is to win the fight on September 10. After that, I want to be given an opportunity to fight for the championship belt at the end of the year. God willing, I want to win that fight as well and bring the belt back to our country.
