Amir Albazi predicts fight against Kai Kara-France: ”I will maul him until I choke him out”

Amir Albazi is on the cusp of stardom. Four straight wins in the UFC, with three coming by finish, have cemented “The Prince” as a must-see fighter in the flyweight division. Soon he’ll be facing off against his very first top-ranked opponent. The flyweight talent from Sweden is set to lock horns with former interim title challenger Kai Kara-France on June 3 at UFC Vegas 74.

“The goal has always been the belt, and whether it’s Moreno or someone else… It’s coming back with me!” Albazi told MMAnytt in a recent interview.

Although he’s got his eyes peeled on UFC gold, Albazi isn’t underestimating the challenge that awaits him in June. Kara-France is a skilled striker training out of City Kickboxing. In preparation for the must-win fight, Albazi has been training in Las Vegas with notable names such as current bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.

“Kai is a very good opponent, and a good test for me. He has fought many veterans and also fought for the (interim) title. His strength is in the stand-up, and his weakness is his grappling, where I thrive – so it will be a battle of wills. I will maul him until I choke him out.

“I’m currently training in Las Vegas, and the amount of training partners here is beyond what I could’ve imagined. I train with Aljamain Sterling, Merab “The Machine” (Dvalishvili), JP (Buys), Dan Ige, Patrick Mix, and many more.”

Albazi’s background is in grappling, which he’s put to use repeatedly during his stint in the UFC. With finishes over most notably Francisco Figueiredo (brother of former UFC champion Deiveson Figueiredo), Albazi has exposed the watering down of the value of a black belt in BJJ.

“I started grappling at Fightzone Stockholm under Hans Ersson and later transitioned from grappling to MMA. I believe I come from a real old school jiu jitsu gym. I was taught by the best (Hans Ersson), who showed me ”real” jiu jitsu from the Viera brothers. Most black belts today got their belt from McDonalds with a happy meal.”

Albazi looks forward to a title shot, and hopes to show other young fighters with similar backgrounds that anything is possible.

“I grew up in Bredäng in Stockholm. They have seen me go from nothing all the way to the UFC. I fight for the people, and I will make them proud.”

In addition to his fight preparations, Albazi has been busy with the launch of his new organization Stars Align, designed to help young athletes growing up in similar conditions as he did. The primary focus is on Swedish athletes, but candidates from all over the world are considered.

“I’m also happy to announce the origin of Stars Align. Our organization, Stars Align, was born out of a project called ‘Project Förort. where we supported young people, immigrants, and anyone in need of a helping hand. Now, we’ve taken that same idea and applied it to the world of professional sports.

“Our management organization is designed to help athletes in need of guidance, mentorship, and support, as they pursue their dreams. We come from a place where we understand the importance of opportunities, guidance and mentorship.”