Ramsey Nijem says UFC Fight Night 39 'was my title fight'

ABU DHABI – Ramsey Nijem‘s UFC Fight Night 39 appearance proved memorable in many ways for the 26-year-old veteran of “The Ultimate Fighter 13.” A big win for the underdog, a $50,000 bonus check for the effort – all important milestones, but not what Nijem considered most important.

“I really approached this fight like it was my title fight,” Nijem said. “It was really important for me being Palestinian-American and coming to the U.A.E. and fighting. At first, I was nervous about stepping up and being a representation for it. It’s a lot of pressure, and it can really weigh on you as an athlete. But I really understand the role, and I really want to represent the Palestinian people, the Arab people, U.A.E., this whole continent of the Middle East in a good light.

“In the news, you always see negative and this and that and fighting war. I want to show that we’re more, that we accomplish things, and that we’re a really strong people.”

Prior to Nijem’s UFC Fight Night 39 appearance, he told MMAjunkie that was extremely honored to be given a chance to travel to Abu Dhabi for his bout with Beneil Dariush. Despite oddsmakers showing strong faith in Dariush, Nijem looked spectacular in a first-round TKO win that kicked off Friday’s UFC Fight Pass-streamed main card.

Nijem walked to the cage draped in the Palestinian flag and to the tune of the region’s music, and the reaction from the du Arena crowd was palpable, as was Nijem’s emotional boost. He admitted he was forced to temper those feelings as he stepped into the octagon.

“It’s definitely really hard,” Nijem said. “If I let my emotions get the best of me, that’s usually when I struggle on fights. I get really amped up really easily, so I’m always trying to calm myself down. It was something else.

“My dad called me the other night, and he was crying on the phone. It really means a lot to my family. A lot of people don’t understand the heavy weight of being a refugee and growing up in the States and all this. It definitely was an amazing scene.”

With the victory, Nijem now boasts back-to-back impressive wins already this year and appears to have rebounded in style from a disappointing 2013 campaign. What comes next for the Californian remains to be seen, but he’ll always have fond memories of his Abu Dhabi debut.

“My dad and my family couldn’t be more proud,” Nijem said. “They called me and said, ‘Whether you win or lose, we’re just proud of you,’ so I took that momentum and that love and that support and just really brought it into the fight. I tried not to let the emotions get the best of me. They haven’t really sunk in yet, so maybe a little bit later tonight.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 39, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.