Islam Dulatov acquires Turkish citizenship: Will represent Turkey in the UFC
Russian-born MMA athlete Islam Dulatov has acquired Turkish citizenship. Dulatov stated that he will compete under the Turkish flag in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
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Mixed martial arts athlete Islam Dulatov has acquired Turkish citizenship. The Russian-born athlete, who competes in the UFC, will represent Turkey in his future matches.
Abu Dhabi will host Dulatov's middleweight bout on Saturday. Stating that he will enter the match with the Turkish flag, the athlete expressed that it is a great honor for him to compete on behalf of Turkey.
''First and foremost, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and our Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Osman Aşkın Bak, for the trust they have placed in me and for their support. It is a great honor for me to compete on behalf of Turkey.''
In his statement ahead of the match in Abu Dhabi, Dulatov said that feeling the support of the Turkish nation behind him would give him strength. The athlete said, “God willing, we will experience the joy of victory together, and I will represent our crescent-and-star flag in the best possible way.”