As much as we speak of “home games” and “going into enemy territory” in this sport, Ofli’s use of that particular jargon runs deeper than simply being one of several Aussies set to compete in Sydney later this month.
The 32-year-old is of Turkish heritage and sports the nom de pugilism “Genghis,” which results in his introductions harkening back to the founder and first khan of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan. And last October, it was Ofli who went on the road, invading the homeland of Ricardo Ramos before registering his first win inside the Octagon in Rio de Janeiro, much to the dismay of the vocal and partisan crowd at Farmasi Arena.
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“It felt exactly like I thought it would feel,” he said when asked about securing the first-round submission win over Ramos. “I really locked in for that. I was trying to visualize and prepare for the hostility as much as possible and if I wanna embrace the inner Genghis Khan, this is how it’s gonna be, so to come out with a big upset like that was an amazing feeling.
“That’s why we do this sport and that’s the highs and lows of this sport,” Ofli continued. “That’s the reward you get for the sacrifice… When you really leave no stone unturned and you focus, you don’t have any distractions, you make sacrifices and you come out with the win? That feeling is — I can’t put that to words or feelings; it’s something you have to experience yourself. It makes all the sacrifices, all the hardship, all the early mornings, late nights worth it.”
