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Serdar Altas carries the Kurdistan flag with him to all his fights. (Photo: Photography Viking/Daniel Schälander)
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A Kurdish Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter from Sweden improved his professional record with a win on Saturday.
Serdar Altas (4-1-0) defeated opponent Wilbert Huaman (5-12-0) in a flyweight bout on the preliminary card of Superior Challenge 20 in Stockholm, Sweden.
After a nervy start, Altas bounced back to dominate all three rounds, nearly finishing the fight in the first round with a rear-naked choke attempt. The Kurdish fighter won the contest via a unanimous decision.
Serdar Altas has a map of the Greater Kurdistan tattooed on his chest. (Photo: Photography Viking/Daniel Schälander)
Altas, born in a small village called Kerboran in the Kurdish-city of Merdin in southern Turkey, previously told Kurdistan 24 he was “going to put Kurdistan on the map.”
Indeed, Kurdistan is close to his heart as the Kurdish fighter tattooed a map of the Greater Kurdistan on his chest and embraces his Kurdish identity by carrying the Kurdistan flag to his fights.
Serdar Altas holds the Kurdistan flag next to his Peruvian opponent Wilbert Huaman at the weigh-ins ahead of their fight. (Photo: Photography Viking/Daniel Schälander)
Altas’ first professional MMA fight was in May 2018 at Superior Challenge 17, where he defeated opponent Juan Jashari Frantzen (0-1-0) via a second-round knockout.
Since his pro debut, the Kurdish athlete has fought on the main card of one event in Sweden, Fight Club Rush 3, at the Bombardier Arena in Västerås in August 2018, where he beat Jake Bond via a first-round knockout.
Before making his professional MMA debut, Altas won gold at the 2017 International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) Championship, as well as titles at the IMMAF Africa Open and European Open in 2016.
Altas moved to Sweden in 2008 with his family, where he was reunited with his father. He began training in 2013 as a hobby but quickly fell in love with the sport and has been involved ever since.