Tajik fighter Faridun Odilov opened up about his journey into mixed martial arts, his time working at a car wash, and a difficult period when he nearly walked away from sports. Ahead of his ACA 209 main event against Artem Frolov, Odilov also shared his thoughts on fighting in front of his home crowd for the first time.
“I've always loved fighting. Even back in the beginning, I told my family that if I started competing, I'd leave everything else behind and dedicate myself entirely to it. I had this feeling that fighting was what I was meant to do. I never even thought about making money from it back then, but now it's my life, ” Odilov said.
Before transitioning to MMA, Odilov competed in freestyle wrestling and dreamed of reaching the Olympic Games. To pursue that goal, he combined intense training sessions with working at his older brother's car wash. However, a defeat at the Russian Championships nearly brought his sporting career to an end.
“I really wanted to make it to the Olympics and compete in the Olympic qualifying tournaments. For almost an entire year, I trained in the mornings and at night while also working at my older brother's car wash. But I lost at the Russian Championships, and after that, I wanted to quit sports altogether.
I stayed away from the gym for about a month and a half until a coach called me and offered me a fight. At first, I turned it down, but then they told me I'd get paid $100–200. I said, ‘Let's do it! Let's go! ’ I ended up knocking out my opponent in the first round. That's how it all started. ”
Odilov also spoke about his father's influence on his career. According to the fighter, one of the most important lessons he learned was to respect every opponent, regardless of their level or reputation.
“My father always tells me never to underestimate an opponent. You have to prepare as if your opponent is better than you and give everything you've got. It's also important to remember that everything in life is temporary. Everything comes from the Almighty. No matter where life takes me, I always want to stay true to myself. ”
On October 30, Odilov will compete on home soil for the first time when he faces former M-1 Global champion Artem Frolov in the main event of ACA 209 in Dushanbe.
“I've never fought in my home country before, so now we'll see what it's like. I believe I can stay calm, go out there, and get the win.
If I'm well prepared, Artem Frolov won't cause me any problems. But he's good everywhere. He has both striking and wrestling skills. Whoever manages to impose their game plan will win. I want to prove that I'm better than him in every aspect, ” Odilov stated.
ACA 209 will take place on October 30 in Dushanbe, marking the promotion's return to Tajikistan after an 11-year absence.
