ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdish martial arts champion Namo Fazil told Rudaw on Tuesday that his primary objective in combat sports is to compete in and win the US-based Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), adding that he plans to enter the fighting octagon with the Kurdistan flag draped over his shoulders.
“My ultimate goal is to bag the UFC, and I will fight there next,” Fazil told Saman WllatZheri in an interview, adding that he will be the first Kurd to enter the championship with the Kurdish flag.
“That is exactly how I will walk in,” he vowed.
He secured a second-round submission victory over his American opponent, Jake Babineau, improving his professional record to 10-1 and further cementing his status as a rising international combat sports contender and a prominent representative of Kurdish identity on the world stage.
Fazil is currently signed with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), a global organization competing for market share with the UFC. He consistently drapes himself in the Kurdistan flag while walking down the entrance ramp before fights and again after securing victories.
“Once, when I was in Germany, a Lebanese man asked me where I was from. I said Kurdistan. He replied, ‘Ah, you are just people [without a country].’ Those words felt like a knife to my heart. Right then and there, I resolved to raise the Kurdistan flag [in tournaments],” Fazil said, explaining the motivation behind carrying the Kurdish flag with him into the fighting cage.
Fazil immigrated from his hometown in the Kurdistan Region’s eastern Sulaimani province to Europe, where he developed an interest in combat sports at the age of 15.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received the Kurdish champion on Monday, congratulating him on his victories and reaffirming his support for the Region’s youth and athletes.
“It was a great honor for me,” the MMA champion told Rudaw, referring to his meeting with the Kurdish leader.
The following is the full text of the interview with Namo Fazil:
Rudaw: Namo, welcome to Rudaw.
Namo Fazil: Thank you very much for this opportunity. I am very grateful for your support, brother.
You’re very welcome. I searched a lot to find out who Namo Fazil is, but there isn't much information available. What we know is that you were born in Finland and now live in Florida, USA. Tell me, who is Namo Fazil, and how did he reach this level?
Namo Fazil is a normal person - very ordinary, I can say. I am not different from any other Kurd. But I had a goal in life: to introduce Kurds to the world. In what way? I can say that since my childhood, being born in Finland, I wasn’t typically Finnish. My appearance didn't look Finnish. Life was a bit difficult there, but thank God, even though life was annoying and hard, things are good now.
Where are you originally from? One person says you're from Garmiyan, another says Kalar - everyone says something different. Where is your family, your parents, and yourself originally from?
Originally, we are from the Sarshaqam neighbourhood in Sulaimani. But to me, it doesn't matter. Wherever I am, my Kurdishness is what matters. Whether someone is from Sulaimani, Erbil, Duhok, or Halabja, they are all the same to me.
It is interesting that your Kurdish is so good. How do you know it so well, considering you were born in Finland and live in America?
To be honest, I can say I learned a lot in the neighbourhoods.
Which neighborhoods?
I can say I stayed in Rizgari [Sulaimani] for a while. When I was young, I was very active, whether in terms of work or training. I travelled to many countries and didn't stay in Kurdistan for very long, unfortunately, because of life and my work. But it was very important to me to know my mother tongue properly. I am a Kurd; it wouldn't be right not to know my own language.
How did you decide to choose this sport? How did you think about becoming an athlete in what they call Mixed Martial Arts (MMA)? How did you start, and why this sport?
I actually started with Kickboxing. My brother Shehbaz and I started together when we were kids. By the time I was 15 or 16, he had already been doing it for a while. I actually started a bit earlier, but only for a short time; then my brother got much more involved and, God has willed it, became a great champion. I used to fight more in Europe, and he fought more in Asia. I started Kickboxing at the age of 15 until 25. At the age of 25, I switched to MMA, Mixed Martial Arts, in an organization called CFL. We didn't have many Kurdish fighters in Kurdistan or many Kurds in the fighting scene back then. I was young and a bit hot-headed, very active, and to be honest, I was a bit of a troublemaker.
Did you ever think you would reach this high international level?
Yes, I always said it. From day one, I said my goal was the UFC belt. I could visualize it and talk about it. In the beginning, I can say people didn't really believe in me. They used to say, 'This boy is just daydreaming.'
What would they say?
To be honest, in Kurdish, they would say, 'this guy has paid and is being beaten up.' When you start out, this sport requires financial resources. When we used to fight, it was brawling - you'd get beaten up, your leg would break, your eyebrow would get injured, your ear would get damaged. People didn't believe in the sport back then. At the same time, it was financially difficult. I can say I fought for free for a long time; in fact, I even paid money out of my own pocket just to go and fight in those organizations.
I remember your early appearances in Sulaimani, and then how you moved to Dubai and the international stage. I’ve heard you say a few times that you felt discouraged at points. Where did that faith and confidence come from that created the Namo Fazil we see today?
Spite. I can say a lot of spite. Spite toward the fact that people don't always look at everyone as equals. We have a lot of social divisions - the whole world is like that, not just Kurdistan. Those people who always say, 'Do you know whose son I am?' That used to hurt me. It was difficult for me because my circumstances were different.
If a viewer sees us now, they might ask, 'Whose son is Namo?'
I am the son of Mr. Fazil - Fazil Bakir.
Where does your insistence on your Kurdish identity and fighting under the Kurdistan flag come from? Why are you so patriotic?
Because I am Kurdish. It’s natural to fight for your nation and your people. But I can say it started in Europe. Because I was born there, my appearance wasn't Finnish. Everywhere I went in Finland, I couldn't find a place that felt like home. Whether in Europe or America, I never felt it was my home. Even now, I only feel that warmth in my own city. Here, you speak my language, you don't look at me with different eyes. On the contrary, now people look at us with pride, and that is an honour for me. When I was abroad, I always felt alone - and loneliness is only for God; humans aren't meant for it. I always say that being a Kurd is like being an orphan; that feeling of being an orphan is very painful. I remember when I was in Germany, there was a Lebanese guy I used to train with. He asked me, 'Where are you from?' I said Kurdistan. He replied, 'Oh, you're just people [without a state].' When he said that, I felt like a knife had been driven into my heart.
Was that the reason you became so determined to bring the Kurdistan flag onto international championship stages?
If you look at my old fights, I always had the Kurdistan flag. I have never in my life carried the flag of another country. Even the Iraqi flag has nothing to do with me - I’m not saying I’m hostile to them, but it’s just not relevant to me. I am not Iraqi, I am not Turkish, I am not Persian, I am not Arab. I am Kurdish.
History says you are Kurdish, you are from Kurdistan.
Definitely, we have existed for seven thousand years. We are even older than Egypt. All these countries that are proud of themselves - we have a history much older, stronger, and more beautiful than theirs. Why shouldn't I be proud of it? Why should I hide my identity? I had a friend who used to say he was Italian; in my heart, I thought, 'You will never truly be Italian [if you deny your roots].'
Regarding your Kurdish identity and raising the flag, have you ever been prevented from doing so?
Yes, a hundred times. When I was fighting in Kickboxing in Germany, they called it a 'terrorist flag.' They said I couldn't bring a terrorist flag inside. They took the flag from me and threw it away; it broke my heart. I can say that seeing that injustice and racism was one of my biggest motivations. At the same time, people would say, 'forget about it. It's nothing.' I always say, may God have mercy on everything. God is great. When those things were said to me, it only made me more determined.
After your fight where you defeated Jake Babian's teammate, you said, 'I am Kurdish, I am from Kurdistan, I am not Iraqi.' This created various opinions. Some said Namo Fazil uses nationalism to attract attention. If you were forced one day to fight under the Iraqi flag because the Kurdistan flag wasn't allowed, would you do it?
No. In fact, something like that happened in One Championship. They told me to fight under the Iraqi flag. I said I wouldn't. I told them to make it Finnish instead. I forced them to make it Finnis. I did it for Europe, but I didn't do it under the Iraqi flag. Because they [the state] have been our enemies. I will never get close to the ones who have always oppressed us. I always say: if someone hits me, I hit back. And if they try to swallow me whole, they’ll choke on it. I am not at all ready to fight under the Iraqi flag. They might try to force me, but I am not willing.
What does this massive support from Kurds at all levels mean to you? Today you met the President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani. Previously, Masrour Barzani and President Masoud Barzani congratulated you. What does this support mean to you?
To be honest, I feel very honoured. Winning the fight is great, but nothing compared to the support and appreciation they showed me. It is a source of pride for me. When our president and leaders congratulate me, it means I’ve done something meaningful. Receiving that respect from them means the world to me. It's not just about me being known; I’ve always said Namo Fazil isn't important. What's important is that our youth and children see this and say, 'We did it.' I have won fights against opponents from Chechnya, Korea, Brazil, and America - I can say our country did it. Personal history isn't that important; what matters is your country being recognized. My goal is the new generation.
In the photo with President Nechirvan Barzani, both of you look very strong. What did he say to you?
He congratulated me very much. When he first walked in, he asked, 'Do we have any problems?' I said, 'No, I never have a problem with you!' He asked, 'Should we fight?' I told him I wouldn't fight him! It is a great honour for me. I am ready to give my life for my people and especially for our leaders... I always say, no matter how high or famous you are, or how much money you have, in the end, we all grow old and go into the grave. The best thing is to do good. Doing good is hard; doing bad is very easy. It's easy to be a bad person, saying bad things and attacking others. But being good is very hard...
What is the next step? You’ve beaten many people. Jake Babian was the latest among them. Which level would you like to reach after that?
Thank God, I can say my fight in the biggest organization in Asia, One Championship, was one of the biggest I've had. Now we have MVP, which is a major global organization and competes with the UFC. After this, God willing, I will fight in the UFC. I can say I am the first Kurd to go there with the flag of Kurdistan for that fight... No one can stop me, because once you step into the cage, it's just you and your opponent...
Who would you like to fight in the UFC?
To be honest, it doesn't matter who it is. My goal at the end is to win the belt. I don't care who he is. If you want to be the best in the world, you have to fight everyone.
But people always tend to compete with famous figures. People know Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, and Khamzat Chimaev, known as the students of Nurmagomedov.
At first, I wanted to fight Khamzat Chimaev, but he hasn’t been in good form lately and recently lost. But Islam Makhachev is in my weight class and holds the belt. I am ready to fight him. We have the same manager, Ali Abdelaziz. Thank God, I can say I have the best team. My wife and friends help. At the same time, the support I get from Kurdistan is something I am proud of. I can get everything because of them. Ali Abdelaziz is my manager. Thank God, I can say I can fight Islam.
If I asked you to challenge Islam Makhachev in English, what would you say to him?
Islam, my brother, I’m gonna come to you very soon. Just keep that belt safe and tight for me. I promise you I will snatch it out of your hands.
Mr. Namo, let’s talk about your private life. I saw a video of you making steak. Do you like food and drinks? What is your lifestyle like, especially on fight days? What do you eat and drink?
My wife helps me a lot with cooking. I have one goal in life. My wife supports me, and she has changed my life. I had no goals in life. My only focus is fighting. I hoped my nation would love me. Thank God, I achieved this. So I must eat healthy food... I like fish, shrimp, rice, without oil, and steak. I don't want to eat sweets. But my wife helps me because she knows that I'm a foodie. She mixes sweet and brown potatoes. She cooks it very well. I hope people could have eaten it... She takes care of my meals.
You mentioned your wife; I see she is here with you, taking videos and helping you. Who is she, and how did you meet? And where is she from?
She is from Shaqlawa; her name is Ziban. We met through a friend, I could say. We talked for six months over the phone from a distance because she lived in America and I was living in Thailand. Then, when I returned to Erbil, we saw each other here for about three days. We got closer, we got married, and then I went back to Thailand.
Was it difficult to convince her?
Yes, honestly, it was very hard to convince her. But thank God, she is a very understanding person regarding my life. She was someone who supported me from the very first minute.
What was the difficulty in convincing her?
A little bit with her family, because they said, 'you have tattoos, you’re a fighter, it’s dangerous.' It took time for them to understand that I might appear a certain way on camera, but I’m actually what they call a 'Teddy Bear' in English. My heart is like that of a child.
Before we started the interview, I was curious and asked, 'What is so annoying about Namo?' She said he bothers me too much on the fight day. What is the reason? Is it stress or exhaustion?
My nerves are on edge. In my own mind, I can say that I am two different people, honestly. I’ve been like this since childhood. There is a person who has been mistreated - that person is very kind-hearted. But there is another person in me who constantly talks like a voice, saying, 'don't accept this, don't do that.' He is cursing at myself and saying inappropriate things to myself... Then, as I get closer to the fight, that second person fully wakes up. The person always says, 'He wants to break your dignity, he wants to humiliate you, and break you.' All the things that happened to me in the past, I gather them all and bring them to my mind. I want my opponent to feel it. In that state, my mind tells me, 'You are very irritable, you are very angry...'
I saw a video where you reached out your hand like you were about to hit her, but then you said, 'I’d die for you, I’m sorry.'
My wife and I are like best friends. She is my best friend. I have a special love for her because before she was my wife, she was my best friend. She understands me very well.
Before you enter the cage to start the fight, what are you thinking about? What do you say to yourself?
Whenever I’m in a fight, I say, 'Kill, kill him, hit him, do this to him, hurt him.' [I think about] how I should bring shame to my nation. When I see him getting angrier, I like it more. I want to be more aggressive. If my opponent seems weak, my mercy drops a little, but if he is capable and strong, I say, 'Come on, try me and see how you can hurt me.'
You mentioned having two different personalities. We’ve seen you on TV being tough and saying strange things that went viral on social media, but now you seem like a calm person. What is the reason for that cursing and that way of speaking? Is it real cursing, or is it just to boost your own morale before going into a fight?
My morale is very high. As I said, I want my opponent to feel what is in my heart. Even when I get close to the guy and talk to him, I want him to know what kind of rage I have inside. So they feel my pain. But on the day of the fight, I'm very relaxed and say Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God) that today you will see the path I’ve walked and how I reached this point.
After the fight, a conflict arose between you and Arman. At first, you were very angry with him, and I said you’d 'kill him,' but later you released a message saying, 'Don't make the matter bigger, it was a misunderstanding.' What happened? Why were you so angry?
Arman and I are in the same gym. I saw the comments he made, calling me 'a gypsy,' and I told him, 'not to come to the gym. If I meet you in the gym, you come there and say it to my face. I will show you who is a gypsy'. Then, when the fight happened, I told him, 'What are you saying? What are you talking about? You have to apologize.' Even when I was behind him, he didn't do anything, lowered his head, and tried to leave. I was wearing gloves during the fight. I couldn't directly go to him. I told him so he could come and apologize at the time.
Did he apologize?
No, he didn't apologize at the time. When I finished the fight, I told him, "Arman, we need to talk." He was avoiding me. Later, he came with 10 people. I was alone with my wife. When he approached from behind, I saw him. Unfortunately, the video doesn't show that he came up behind me before I confronted him. Jake Paul and others came over. When I released the video, there was no issue with it. He said, "I don't have any problems with Kurds. I didn't know that. I apologize." Whatever you say to my relatives or me, if you apologize, I forgive.
How is your relationship with religion? I saw a video of you performing the Fajr (dawn) prayer.
I can say that for about five years now, I have been close to God. It started from an early morning when God woke me up. I have been waking up for Fajr prayer every single day since then. I always tell everyone who is close to me to pray...
Last question: What is your relationship with football? The World Cup is near; who do you support?
I’m not very smart when it comes to football, to be honest. I'm very busy with the fights, I don't know what's going on in the world. I train 16 times a week, so my focus isn't on anything else. Just training and fighting. I tell everyone: you all be busy with everything else, but leave the fighting for me.
Thank you very much, Namo Fazil, the Kurdish champion in MMA. We hope to see you in the UFC very soon.
Thank you very much.
