Ismail Naurdiev throws a high kick against Siyar Bahadurzada | Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports
‘The Austrian Wonderboy’ faces undefeated Sean Brady this weekend in Norfolk, Virginia as part of the evening’s preliminary card.
Ismail Naurdiev didn’t have the easiest of upbringings and at times wondered if he’d even stay alive for the remainder of the day.
That was a result of growing up in war-torn Chechnya which is a stark contrast to how many other mixed martial artists spend their childhoods. Naurdiev (19-3) didn’t get the chance to become a member of a particular gym and couldn’t let his skills mature naturally over a set period of time. He was more concerned about keeping himself and his immediate family safe until the opportunity for a better life presented itself.
“We fled Chechnya because of the war which was going on,” discussed Naurdiev. “Everything was destroyed and you never knew if you’d survive until the next day. Most of my memories from back then are all about the war but there were some good moments too. We arrived in Austria and from that point on, life was much safer and more stable.”
It was that move which gave Naurdiev his nickname of ‘The Austrian Wonderboy’ and he proudly represents the European country to this day. The second part of that moniker is due to the 23-year-old’s flashy style and the wild, spinning kicks he throws.
Once Naurdiev had settled into his new country, he began wrestling at around the age of ten to channel his energy. He self-admittedly loved to fight on the streets, where he got into lots of brawls, and wasn’t even aware of what MMA was back then. That all changed when he was watching TV and saw Tito Ortiz take on Chuck Liddell, who were wrestling as well as striking. He’d never seen that before so Naurdiev was hooked to the sport straight away and began searching for MMA gyms immediately. The rest is history.
This weekend, the ACB veteran is in search of his third UFC win when he takes on the undefeated, Sean Brady, as part of the evening’s preliminary card. Brady (11-0) is coming off of a successful promotional debut against Court McGee last October and is looking to add to his winning streak. Naurdiev has prepared at Sanford MMA (formerly Hard Knocks 365) for this fight, where he worked with Henri Hooft, Greg Jones and Kami Barzini. He is looking to add to his 84% finishing rate but won’t recklessly pursue the stoppage.
“He’s a tough fighter but everyone in the UFC is tough,” claimed Naurdiev. “I think he’s going to try and grapple with me as I don’t believe he’ll want to work on the feet. In the past, when I focussed too much on chasing the finish it didn’t work out, so I’m just intent on getting the win. My goal for this year is to end up in the top 15 welterweight rankings as a minimum, which I think I am capable of.”
UFC Fight Night: Benavidez v Figueiredo prelims can be viewed on UFC Fight Pass from 10pm GMT on Saturday night in the UK and Ireland. Fans in the US can tune in on ESPN+ at 5pmET/4pmCT.