Movsar Evloev makes comical revelation about Nina-Marie Daniele interview
Movsar Evloev has just revealed that he actually had no interest in an interview with Nina-Marie Daniele, and that the hijab request was merely to dissuade her from pursuing it.
Movsar Evloev's recent interview with Nina-Marie Daniele drew a large wave of interest from the MMA community, namely due to Daniele wearing a hijab for its duration. However, the UFC featherweight title challenger has just revealed that he was never interested in the interview to begin with.
Movsar Evloev dismisses his interview with Nina-Marie Daniele
One of the main promotional duties of UFC fighters is drawing interest to their fight during fight week. Interviews have become one of the most reliable ways to do so, and few interviewers are more successful, at this moment, than Nina-Marie Daniele, who has become well-acquainted with both the UFC brass and several of the promotion's most high-profile fighters. In preparation for an interview with Movsar Evloev, who will challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title at UFC 333, she wore a hijab as per his request.
As it turns out, the request was only made because Evloev was hoping to avoid the interview, as he believed Daniele wouldn't have obliged. He said as much to Adam Zubayraev on the Hustle Show, claiming that he had initially wanted to turn the interview down (15:30):
"Of course, I couldn't care less about that interview. I wanted to turn it down. I just set a condition so she... I thought she would refuse. I said I'd agree if she wore a hijab, so I wouldn't just refuse outright. She agreed, so I had to sit there for the interview."
The interview was, for a moment, the talk of the town due to Daniele giving in to Evloev's request to wear a hijab, with Daniele herself clarifying that she only did so to make the interview as comfortable as possible for him. Regardless, Evloev is focused on more important matters. He successfully made weight for his featherweight title fight with Volkanovski, and will look to emerge victorious tomorrow as the UFC's new 145-pound champion.
The fight will also mark the first time his father will be in attendance for one of his fights, though Evloev doesn't believe it will make a difference. He is determined and as prepared as can be for the biggest test of his career.
