Mansur Abdul-Malik wasn’t always as positive as he is now. It took time, but the progression was natural. He discovered the power of the mind and is now on the UFC’s doorstep because of it.
A 5-0 pro, Abdul-Malik fights Tuesday at Dana White’s Contender Series 67 with the opportunity to change his life, and the lives of those around him. Isn’t that enough to smile about?
“There’s no other place I want to be,” Abdul-Malik recently told MMA Junkie. “There’s literally no other place I’d want to be than worshipping God and just being peaceful and make my family happy. Other than that, there’s no other place I’d want to be. I just love it so much in there. I just feel like my mind is emptied in there.”
“When I go compete, it just feels so freeing. I swear, it feels so natural than regular, everyday life. When I go compete, it’s like a breath of fresh air. It’s like I’m here. I’m here and I can drop all the worries. I can drop all the other stuff that doesn’t matter. I can drop all the negativities and people that don’t matter.”
A Maryland native, Abdul-Malik has long been destined for the opportunity like the one he’ll have Tuesday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. There were some necessary delays along the way, but the journey always resumed.
A jiu-jitsu practitioner since six, Abdul-Malik fell in love with wrestling in middle school. That passion and success carried over into high school, and then at wrestling career at the University of Maryland while studying kinesiology.
Along the way, Abdul-Malik met fellow Maryland native Bryan Hamper, of SuckerPunch Entertainment, who served as a mentor and helped pave his path toward MMA success.
“I’ve known him since I was a teenager,” Abdul-Malik said. “That’s one of my best people in this sport and in this life as well. That’s a good man.”
In a place where adrenaline and nerves flow at the highest levels, Abdul-Malik has found peace and spiritual freedom. As he racked up first-round finish after first-round finish (he now has five of them) the cage began to feel more and more like home.
“I wasn’t always like this,” Abdul-Malik said. “I definitely wasn’t thinking positive. I wasn’t optimistic. But I understood the power of the mind. The power of positivity. The power of good vibes and belief and the faith in what you’re doing and your actions. It just flowed into MMA. It’s all just one big bubble. It’s not just one aspect of my life I’m positive in. It’s everything.
“… This is what I want to dedicate my life too, but also in the same hand, I kind of disconnect and treat it like it’s something that’s recreational. As much as I care about it, it’s also one of the very last things that matters in life. Life is so beautiful, man. There are so many different aspects of it. I have my family. I have my body. I have my health. I have other things I’m involved in that make me happy. I have food. I freaking love food. There are so many other aspects of life I feel people kind of forget.”
Abdul-Malik will fight Wes Schultz (6-1) in the headlining bout of DWCS 67 and have the opportunity to earn a UFC deal if he impresses the brass. While it’s an accomplishment to get this far, the real reward remains distant.
“My short-term goal is to get my hand raised on Tuesday,” Abdul-Malik said. “My long-term goal is to become a two-weight world champion, get all the money I can get my hands on and then give back to the people that gave to me, and give back to other people in forms of inspiration when it comes to anything financial, helping them in any way I possibly can. I’ll just live a good life and continue to build my wealth and status after fighting. I know and understand this won’t last forever, but I’m going to take every single possible thing I can from this career. It doesn’t only revolve around fighting.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for DWCS 67 .
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