Ruslan Afandiyev, the head coach of the Azerbaijan Mixed Martial Arts team, touched on the psychological component of the Baku "Rizin" Tournament, which will be held on November 4 at the National Gymnastics Arena.
Answering the question of the reporter of Idman.biz, the mentor noted that the upcoming start will be somewhat tense for the Japanese organization.
"A month ago, during a press conference in Baku, the head of Rizin company Nobuyuki Sakakibara noted that the Tournament held in Baku is the first tournament held outside Japan. Of course, the upcoming event is encouraging to all of us, as it promotes respect for the local MMA school with "Rizin" among other things.
But at the same time, the debut tournament outside Japan is an additional stress both for the athletes who cannot rely on the factor of their home walls, and for the organizers from Japan. We are in constant contact with the organizers from Japan, and they admit that they are very excited," Afandiyev mentioned.
He also added that he has always been fascinated by the fan culture in Japan. "More than 20,000 spectators watched the fights while we participated in the tournaments held in Saitama and other cities. They experienced every episode of pain acutely, going to sporting events was like going to the theater. It is a good thing that now a great organization like "Rizin" will notice Azerbaijan", Afandiyev said.
Zaki Feyzullayev
Idman.biz
