Ilir Latifi is the guy on the battlefield carrying the double-edged battle axe, wading through armor, flesh and bone. Sweat from his brow falls down his face and mixes with the tears that fall for his victims, but he’s doing a job that must be done. This is his calling. He is here to fight, and that’s what he’s going to do.
We watched him walk forward with a busted face, pressuring Gegard Mousasi when he had no reason to even be fighting in the cage that night, but we applauded his tenacity, and damn it if we couldn’t help but like the man-orc just a little bit.
Sure he lost, but he lost in style. Then he came back to retire Cyrille Diabate back in March, and now he just sent Chris Dempsey sinking into quicksand with a quick knockout that sent Ireland into a frenzy.
Ilir Latifi is my new favorite light heavyweight. I don’t know why, but it just feels right, so I’m running with this as far as I can take it. There’s just something inherently likeable about a guy who mourns over his fallen foes, isn’t there?
And the best part; after Ilir looks inwards and asks forgiveness for hurting you, he’ll pull off a whacky corkscrew backflip. Just off the strength of that, he should probably fight Cormier or Jon Jones next.
— MolesyMMA (@MolesyMMA) July 19, 2014
Damn you, Fight Pass. If only you menus were more user friendly this would be the perfect afternoon.