It’s rare that we have athletes competing in the final bout of the evening highlighted in this space, but this is one of those occasions where choosing anyone else would have been inexcusable.
Shahbazyan earned his UFC contract with a 40-second knockout win over Antonio Jones on July 17, 2018 as part of the second season of the Contender Series. Two years later, he carries a perfect 11-0 record that includes three straight first-round stoppage wins into a showdown with a Top 10 fixture in Derek Brunson who has more UFC appearances (16) than he has professional appearances.
The 22-year-old California native has lived up to his “Golden Boy” nickname and then some, handling his meteoric ascent with aplomb while turning in breathtaking performances against veterans Charles Byrd, Jack Marshman, and Brad Tavares over his last three outings.
His victory over Tavares was particularly eye-opening as the Ultimate Fighter alum has long been viewed as the tough, veteran out young stars need to get past in order to establish themselves as potential contenders. Current middleweight champ Israel Adesanya’s first main event assignment came against Tavares, with “The Last Stylebender” spending 25 minutes picking the Hawaiian apart.
Shahbazyan dropped him with a head kick halfway through the opening round.
Training out of the Glendale Fighting Club made famous by former champ Ronda Rousey, who manages him, Shahbazyan has the potential to be the gym’s second UFC champion. No, that is not hyperbole.
Shahbazyan has already shown that he’s technically and fundamentally sound, that he carries legitimate power and innate finishing instincts, and despite a ton of attention and constant jumps up the competitive ladder, he’s never seemed even the least bit rattled. And he’s only 22.
While there are others who get more attention or have a greater presence on social media, Shahbazyan is the best young fighter in the UFC (and the sport, for that matter) and it doesn’t feel particularly close. A win Saturday will not only serve to further confirm that but will also elevate the unbeaten rising star into the title conversation in the middleweight ranks.
