Noah Ali (10-5-1) is set to return to competition for the first time since December 2019 when he takes on Gabe Sagman (7-4) in the headlining bout of Unified MMA 44 for the Unified MMA bantamweight title on Friday evening.
The 37-year-old Ali had been waiting patiently for a shot at Jamie Siraj, but the pandemic and a lack of bookings left him sidelined. When word came that Sagman was stepping in as the title challenger, Ali was thrilled to finally get back in the cage.
"I'm absolutely fired up, especially fighting in my own backyard," Ali told MMA Empire.
"With COVID making things so tough, opportunities have been scarce, so I took this one as soon as I could. It's been a real battle getting fights lined up—I was hoping to square off with Jamie Siraj—but I'm pumped to chase the belt."
Ahead of the bout, Ali anticipates Sagman coming out fast, using his youthful energy to try and outrun him early.
But Ali also expects that once he starts landing clean shots, Sagman will fall back on his wrestling foundation and eat some strikes to avoid damage.
"I know he's a grinder with solid wrestling—he'll probably look to shoot for a takedown—but maybe he wants to stand and bang? He's competed at 125 before, so cutting weight won't be an issue, which means he should have plenty in the tank," Ali explained.
"I'm anticipating a gritty, back-and-forth battle. I'm ready to give it everything I've got for my hometown crowd."
Beyond the excitement of performing for his hometown fans, Ali revealed one major shift in his mindset heading into this fight: he's now pursuing MMA purely for enjoyment.
Mixed martial arts has transitioned from being Ali's livelihood to a hobby, something he feels will actually work in his favour since he no longer has to accept bouts he isn't prepared for. He picks his moments carefully, and that confidence should be evident in the octagon.
"I'm going in there to enjoy myself—that's the biggest difference. MMA is just a pastime now, not my career, and I'm not feeling the pressure of everything hanging in the balance," Ali shared.
"I'm just here to have fun and hopefully grab that 'W' and walk away champion in front of my people."
With that relaxed outlook, Ali is confident he'll find openings to land the knockout whenever Sagman gets too aggressive and exposes himself.
"Anything can happen in this sport, no question. The reality is Gabe is incredibly aggressive—and I think he may push too hard. I believe I'll catch him with something," Ali said.
"There are five rounds ahead, so I'll stay patient. I expect his aggression to create mistakes for me to exploit. It's going to be fun."
Follow Ali on social media: INSTAGRAM
