As UFC 308, headlined by Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway, arrived in Abu Dhabi for the conclusion of its three-day blockbuster event, the pre-fight press conferences began today. The fighters are taking their places, waiting to answer questions from the respective media outlets present at UFC Media Day, while UFC head honcho Dana White addresses the media in his typical fashion.

However, no one anticipated that a fan who turned out to be an MMA fighter by the name of Dorobshokh Nabotov would suddenly become the talk of the town with demands that White couldn’t ignore. Let’s find out what happened during the UFC 308 pre-fight conference.

What happened between Dorobshokh Nabotov & Dana White at UFC 308

Dana White has maintained a firm attitude toward giving young, talented fighters a chance through various avenues, such as Dana White’s Contender Series or events like Road to UFC. Well, have you ever heard of someone getting a chance to fight in the UFC directly from Dana White? Well, that’s exactly what happened today at the UFC pre-fight press conference when a man from the audience stepped forward. Instead of asking a question, he offered himself for a fight in the UFC.

He said, “I am an undefeated elite athlete from Tajikistan, Dorobshokh Nabotov, with nine wins and zero losses. I don’t have a question; I came here for a fight on short notice. I never had a manager; I did it all by myself. Please give me a chance, Dana. I want to fight in the UFC; please give me this opportunity. I am ready.” Upon hearing this, Dana White asked him, “Where were you on the Contender Series?” but he couldn’t help but invite the young athlete to come on stage.

It seemed like a moment between fighters seizing opportunities and exchanging verbal jabs, at which point Dorobshokh Nabotov earned his shot. Without wasting any time, let’s delve into the Tajikistani sensation’s MMA record.

Nabotov’s MMA Record

Tajikistani native Dorobshokh Nabotov was born in Chechnya, according to Tapology, just like fellow middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev. However, he has spent his fighting career in Russia, currently standing as the #437 ranked fighter in the Eurasia region.

In his amateur career, 25 year old boasts a 5-1 record. Since stepping into professional MMA in 2018, he has never looked back. Despite telling Dana White that he has nine fights, he has only competed in seven, winning all of them. This impressive record has certainly caught the attention of the UFC boss, making him a worthy candidate for an opportunity in the UFC.

What are your thoughts on this newcomer, Russian-Tajik sensation Dorobshokh Nabotov? Do you think he will live up to his previous records in the UFC, considering it will be challenging for him as the UFC lightweight division is currently one of the most stacked divisions? Drop your opinion below!