Kurds are natural warriors: Kurdish MMA fighter

After his victory on Saturday, a Kurdish Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter said Kurds were “natural warriors.”

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Kurdistan24) – After his victory on Saturday, a Kurdish Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter said Kurds were “natural warriors.”

Competing in his fifth amateur bout, Ahva Abdurrahman defeated opponent Ben Brown with a rear-naked choke in the second round.

The victory extended the young Kurdish fighter’s amateur record to four wins and one loss.

Ahva Abdurrahman in action during his amateur featherweight fight with Ben Brown, Newport, Tennessee, United States, April 15, 2017. (Photo: Janet Hutchinson Wohler)
Ahva Abdurrahman in action during his amateur featherweight fight with Ben Brown, Newport, Tennessee, United States, April 15, 2017. (Photo: Janet Hutchinson Wohler)
Ahva Abdurrahman after his amateur featherweight victory against Ben Brown, Newport, Tennessee, United States, April 15, 2017. (Photo: Janet Hutchinson Wohler)
Ahva Abdurrahman after his amateur featherweight victory against Ben Brown, Newport, Tennessee, United States, April 15, 2017. (Photo: Janet Hutchinson Wohler)

Speaking to Kurdistan24 after his fight, Abdurrahman said the ongoing heroics of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces inspire him.

“Kurds are natural warriors,” he stated. “We’ve had to fight for everything since day one.”

“The Peshmerga are the true warriors [here], risking their lives every day,” the MMA fighter added.

Saturday night’s victory meant Abdurrahman qualified for the nationals of the Valor Fights’ featherweight (145lbs) division, a vital step in his promising career.

“I’m gaining exposure, and I expect to gain even more,” he told Kurdistan24.

“My fights speak for themselves,” the Kurdish MMA fighter continued. “[My team’s] going to the top.”

While confident in his talents, Abdurrahman reminded fans he was “grateful” for the backing from his family members.

“They always make sure I’m taken care of and show endless support,” he said.

Ahva Abdurrahman after his amateur featherweight victory against Ben Brown, Newport, Tennessee, United States, April 15, 2017. (Photo: Janet Hutchinson Wohler)
Ahva Abdurrahman after his amateur featherweight victory against Ben Brown, Newport, Tennessee, United States, April 15, 2017. (Photo: Janet Hutchinson Wohler)

The teenager offered humble advice to up-and-coming Kurdish athletes like himself, urging them to “keep striving” and accomplish their dreams.

“Believe in yourself. Know in your heart that you can achieve anything you set your mind to,” he explained.

Abdurrahman, 18, was born in Nashville, Tennessee after his parents moved to the US in the early 1990s from Dohuk Province in the Kurdistan Region.

 

Editing by Gabrielle Renaud