Amir Albazi (5-2 in the UFC) will face Alessandro Costa (5-3 in the UFC) at flyweight on November 21 at UFC Qatar. Albazi currently sits at No. 9 in the flyweight rankings but enters the bout on a two-fight losing streak, with back-to-back defeats to Horiguchi and Moreno. Costa is unranked but arrives on a three-fight finishing streak.
The flyweight division's UFC Qatar card on November 21 got a notable matchup when Amir Albazi and Alessandro Costa were officially booked to meet at 125 pounds.
Albazi, known as "The Prince," enters the bout in a difficult stretch. The 32-year-old Iraqi fighter, who trains out of Xtreme Couture, carries a professional record of 17-3-0 and holds the ninth-ranked spot in the flyweight division. His UFC ledger stands at 5-2, though back-to-back losses to Horiguchi and Moreno have put pressure on his ranking. Standing five-foot-five with a 68-inch reach, Albazi has built his game around a strong grappling foundation, averaging 1.18 takedowns per 15 minutes. His striking accuracy sits at 33 percent, with 2.47 significant strikes landed per minute.
Costa, nicknamed "Nono," comes in as the unranked challenger but brings serious finishing momentum into the cage. The 30-year-old Brazilian out of Lobo Gym MMA holds an overall record of 17-5-0 and a 5-3 mark inside the UFC. At five-foot-four with a 67-inch reach, the orthodox Brazilian lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at a 46 percent accuracy rate — figures that reflect the finishing form he has carried through a three-fight streak of stoppage victories heading into this contest.
Why it matters
- Albazi needs a win badly to protect his top-ten standing after consecutive defeats
- Costa's three-fight finishing run makes him a credible threat despite his unranked status
- The contrasting styles — Albazi's takedown-heavy approach versus Costa's higher-volume striking — set up a clear grappling-versus-striking dynamic
- A Costa upset could force a reshuffling in the already competitive flyweight rankings
