By News18,Vineet Ramakrishnan,Vivek Ganapathy

Copyright news18

In the brutal world of mixed martial arts, perfection is a fleeting concept. Yet Farid ‘Ferocious’ Basharat carries it with him like a badge of honor – 13 professional fights, 13 victories, and not a single round lost in his four UFC appearances. As he prepares for his biggest test yet against veteran Chris Gutierrez at UFC 320, the 27-year-old Afghan-British fighter embodies a rare blend of unshakeable confidence and humble determination that has become his trademark.
Speaking to News18 Sports in an exclusive conversation ahead of UFC 320: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2 this weekend at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Basharat reflects on a journey that began in Afghan refugee camps and now finds him on the cusp of UFC rankings. “I feel I belong here,” he says with quiet certainty. “My record speaks for itself. My job now is to take every fight one at a time – win, win, win – and then each fight is a step towards getting to the top of the mountain, which is to become the best in the world.”
Finding His Place Among the Elite
The path to UFC belonging hasn’t been without its challenges. Basharat’s most recent victory came under unusual circumstances when opponent Victor Hugo missed weight by over 10 pounds, forcing a last-minute switch to a featherweight bout. Rather than derail his momentum, the adversity became another building block in his mental arsenal.
“I think my last fight was for sure the biggest test in terms of the circumstances with the weight miss,” Basharat reflects. “It challenged me mentally, especially because I had to compose myself and ignore the big disparity in size. I came out on the other side with a lot more confidence and a lot more maturity.”
Farid Basharat.
That maturity will be crucial as he faces his sternest examination yet. Chris Gutierrez brings 30 professional fights and a current 2-match winning streak into UFC 320, representing everything Basharat hasn’t faced – deep experience and proven resilience against elite competition.
“He’s the most experienced, and for me, every fight is the most important fight,” Basharat acknowledges when discussing the Gutierrez matchup. But experience alone doesn’t intimidate the undefeated prospect. Instead, he sees a fundamental difference in their approaches to adversity.
“I think my biggest advantage is my mentality. He’s lost many times already. When defeat comes knocking on his door, he opens the door. And me? I’ve never lost,” Basharat explains. “I always fight hard. I fight back, I resist, and I don’t know how it feels to lose in the cage. I think that’s my biggest advantage – that I’m willing to fight to the end and he isn’t.”
Training at American Top Team in South Florida for over a year now, Basharat has elevated every aspect of his game. Rather than obsessing over opponent-specific strategies, he maintains a philosophy of self-improvement. “I don’t worry so much about my opponents,” he notes. “My mentality is that I need to work on myself, focus on myself. I’ve been improving every facet of my game – from the wrestling, the grappling, the boxing, kickboxing, mentality, everything.”
A victory over Gutierrez would likely catapult him into the UFC’s bantamweight rankings – a milestone he’s long visualised. “To finally have a number next to my name is just another target accomplished,” he says.
Brotherhood and Endless Competition
The foundation of Basharat’s relentless drive traces back to an unlikely source: sibling rivalry. Growing up with older brother Javid, now also a UFC fighter, created a competition that continues to this day.
“We’re very competitive to this day still. Sometimes too much. Sometimes we have to take a break from one another for a little bit, for a couple of hours, and then we’re back to it. But that’s what drives us.
“You can see inside the cage how we are so competitive, how we fight so relentlessly. It’s because I’ve had to compete with this guy for 28 years of my life—over the tiniest of things, you know, who controls the TV remote and stuff like that,” he adds with a laugh that speaks to the deep bond beneath the competition.
Farid Basharat with his brother Javid Basharat.
Beyond the rivalry, Javid has provided spiritual grounding. “The best advice he’s ever given me is just to keep your faith strong. Never go astray from your faith, from God. And that’s always helped me in life.”
Afghan Pride and Global Inspiration
As one of only three active Afghan fighters in the UFC alongside his brother and Nasrat Haqparast, Basharat carries the weight of representation with obvious pride. “I love that every time I fight, every time I win, every time I do something well, it attaches some positivity to Afghanistan,” he explains. “My country’s not been put in the media in the most positive light in recent years and decades. So for me, this is a great honour.”
His inspiration extends beyond combat sports to Afghanistan’s remarkable cricket success story. “I know Rashid [Khan] and Mohammad Nabi personally – two very good guys – and they’ve been a massive inspiration for the whole country, for the youth coming up, and myself too,” Basharat reveals.
Farid Basharat with Rashid Khan.
“What they’ve accomplished is unbelievable. I don’t think people understand how far those two boys, and the whole Afghanistan cricket squad, have come from where they were 10-15 years ago. It’s one of the biggest underdog stories, underdog accomplishments in sports history, in my opinion.”
Building Schools, Building Hope
Success has brought responsibility, manifested through his partnership with Future for Orphans, a charity supporting 140 Afghan orphans. Currently fundraising for a school construction project, Basharat sees this work as essential to his identity.

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“I grew up in the same background. I grew up in a refugee camp in Pakistan – not the same of course, but similar. So I can relate to my people,” he explains. “I feel like it’s my responsibility. I’m very proud of this and I hope I can raise as much funds to contribute.”
Legacy in the Making
As Basharat prepares for what could be his ranking breakthrough, his vision extends far beyond personal achievement. “As a fighter, I want to be remembered as one of the greatest fighters of all time. I want to be champion. I want to defend the belt, be a Hall of Famer.”
But perhaps more importantly: “Outside the cage, I want to be known as someone that inspired the next generation – the next generation of people in Afghanistan, in the UK, and all across the world. I have a lot to do still. I’m just getting into the twilight of my career. And as the opportunities come, and as my platform gets bigger, I’ll certainly use it for good.”
For now, though, Chris Gutierrez stands between Basharat and that bigger platform. In a sport where undefeated records are precious commodities, the Afghan-British fighter carries the burden and blessing of perfection into his most significant challenge yet.
Basharat’s pivotal clash against Gutierrez will serve as a crucial stepping stone on a UFC card stacked with championship implications. Headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev and former titleholder Alex Pereira, on 5th October from 7:30 AM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD (Tamil & Telugu) also features bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili defending his crown against surging contender Cory Sandhagen in the co-main event. For Basharat, positioned on the preliminary card, this will be his moment to break through, and a victory could not only extend his perfect record but also announce his arrival among the bantamweight elite.