Farman Hasanov celebrated his victory after defeating US fighter Erik Nolan at the UFC tournament in Baku.
He expressed pride in fighting in Azerbaijan for the first time: "I thank all Azerbaijani people. When I looked up and saw my nation, my only thought was victory."
Hasanov wanted to finish the fight early but was hindered by illness. "I won in three rounds. I thank coach Ibrahim, he gave great support."
He dominated with takedowns and said he will work on his mistakes. "I have a four-fight contract with UFC. I aim to win the remaining three. Since there's no Azerbaijani food in the US, I always choose to come back here."
Earlier, the main event of the night features Rafael Fiziev against Manuel Torres, while Nazim Sadykhov faces Mateus Camilo.
