UFC Reinstates Moroccan Fighter Ottman Azaitar After COVID Protocol Violation

Ottman Azaitar was fired permanently due to "a recent violation of health and safety protocols," explains, in a statement to ESPN, his president, Dana White. In the face of this good news, Ottman Azaitar could not help but express his joy and gratitude. "Surround yourself with wonderful people. I am still grateful to everyone who has been involved in this situation. The bulldozer is back," he wrote on Instagram.

Ottman Azaitar was supposed to face Matt Frevola at UFC 257. However, the fight did not take place, because the day before, White reported that Azaitar had come into contact with an individual outside the UFC bubble on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The Moroccan would have tried to help other people enter the restricted security zone of the UFC, thus violating the quarantine measures related to the coronavirus pandemic. This cost him his immediate expulsion from the UFC premises.

At 30 years old, Azaitar has 13 wins to his professional fighting record. He won his first two UFC fights by first-round KO, beating Teemu Packalen in his octagon debut at UFC 242, laurels completed last September by a 93-second TKO of Khama Worthy at a UFC Fight Night event. For now, he has no match in sight.