Unfortunately, he suffered a knockout loss to Dober (the all-time knockout leader among lightweights) and split his next four fights. Now 28 and fresh off a first-round knockout over Jamie Mullarkey, Haqparast believes those experiences shaped him into the fighter many pegged him as a handful of years ago.
“I think slowly I’m starting to enter my prime,” Haqparast said during his interview with UFC.com. “At a very young age I gained a lot of experience early on, good and bad circumstances, injuries. I think now I am really getting mature, and I think I’m going to show it in this fight.”
Saturday’s Full Fight Card Preview
At UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Aliskerov, Haqparast draws gritty veteran Jared Gordon, who most recently scored a first-round TKO over Mark O. Madsen at UFC 295.
Although Gordon is seven years Haqparast’s senior, they both entered the promotion in mid-2017 and have about the same amount of appearances. Gordon garnered a solid reputation for himself, which means he is a perfect opponent for Haqparast to face in order to prove he is ready for the vaunted Top 15 at 155 pounds.