The UFC created a bubble on Fight Island with all staff, fighters, and support personnel quarantined together. However, shortly before UFC 257, undefeated rising star Ottman “The Bulldozer” Azaitar violated COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
The lightweight and his team attempted to sneak an unapproved guest into the designated safety zone by cutting and passing off a security wristband. The interloper was caught with a duffel bag while trying to scale the outside of the hotel, ninja style. Azaitar was escorted from the premises, and his fight vs. Matt Frevola was canceled.
UFC president Dana White was livid, and it was widely believed Azaitar would be released, but White later relented. It doubtless didn’t hurt that “The Bulldozer” has friends in high places.
Still the question remained – what was in the duffel bag? Azaitar’s manager, Dominance MMA founder Ali Abdelaziz, offered an explanation to Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole.
Potatoes, explained Abdelaziz. Potatoes. It was potatoes in the bag.
During his first interview since the incident, Azaitar said it wasn’t potatoes.
Okay listen, I don’t know what [Abdelaziz] told you, but … he doesn’t know either. He wasn’t there,” said Azaitar, to and as translated by Fighting.de. Regarding this situation, let’s put it like this: Now that you ask… ***laughs*** It’s funny sometimes. I love being convicted prematurely sometimes. Sometimes you hold a surprise box in your hand, not knowing what’s in there and you are very excited about it. But when you open it, something silly is in there. Something you don’t like. Or the exact opposite: You’re afraid of something bad and in the end, there’s something good in there. What I want to tell you with this little riddle: People are quick to judge. But you know that.
But to be honest: None of these people are paying my rent, none of these people care, if I do well or not. I’m not talking about every viewer or every reporter, I had many supporters as well. But the majority was gloating over this, even some very close friends. They always wish you the best, from the bottom of their hearts, but as soon as you’ve achieve something, they hate you for it. But over the years you have to… these are my clothes hangers, whatever. Sorry ***laughs*** Over the years you have to learn… [turns to Naurdiev]. Come with me, otherwise I’ll go crazy. [Both are mumbling.] Long story short: Where was I? Ah yes, the bag…
I just want to say: When I – Ottman Azaitar – will decide to let the public know about this, then only when I want to and when I see fit. Not because someone even thinks he can pressure me mentally and psychologically to address this and perhaps lie about this or whatever. No, no my friend. I am not asking your mother what’s in here purse, do I? I’m not even asking her, if she has a bag in the first place! People shouldn’t always react prematurely after they read something. Of course, Dana White came down there and gave that statement. But Dana White even said it himself that he didn’t know if… you know what I mean?
I’m not holding that against him. He has his security guys, and they come up to him and tell him this and that, balcony, blah blah blah. Of course, he thinks that there’s gotta be something to that story and says that in his statement. He even asked in that interview, if he should really do this, if they should really tell this story. Long story short: I don’t want to say that something is not true, and I don’t want to say that something is true. Should you release these words to the public, I want you to keep all of this in it, so nothing can be taken out of context. You know what I mean? This is important to me. I am basically saying nothing right now, this is basically a no comment on that whole situation and the bag itself. I am just talking about my life in general – It’s possible that someone is making a claim about you, it’s also possible that you are really guilty.
I’m giving you a little riddle, because I promised a Moroccan reporter before you to talk to him first, as soon as I want to address this a bit more openly. I promise you: for the German-speaking region, I will talk to you about the what, the who, the why and so forth. But what I really want to let everybody know is: I won’t do this because someone thinks he can pressure me or bug me, until I say something. And all the people going: ‘We were supporting you for years, you owe us something’ – I owe you nothing, I never borrowed anything from you! I don’t ask what’s in your sister’s purse or your mother’s purse or whatever. Of course, people want to know what I think about this, but I am the master of my own thoughts! And I decide when and if I express them to the public or not. Everything I’m saying here is more riddle than… oh wait, this is my alarm clock. I have to go training.”
And so, like who killed JFK and is there really a money pit on Oak Island, the mystery of the duffle bag continues.
