MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz, known for representing some of the biggest names in fighting, had a near-death experience during a recent trip to Hawaii, and he credits UFC fighter Ottman Azaitar with saving his life. “Ottman's a great kid. He has a big heart. He literally saved my life,” Abdelaziz told TMZ Sports about the terrifying incident.

The group, which included Ali and Ottman, went for a swim near a waterfall in Hawaii before heading to Salt Lake City for UFC 307, where Abdelaziz represents fighter Kayla Harrison.

Unfortunately, Abdelaziz, who isn’t a strong swimmer, found himself in deeper water than he expected. As he struggled to stay afloat, panic set in, and his head began to dip below the surface. Thinking quickly, Azaitar swam to shore, grabbed a vine from the forest, and used it to reel Abdelaziz back to safety. Despite the harrowing scare, Abdelaziz is recovering well and firmly believes he would have drowned if not for Ottman’s quick thinking and bravery.

Is Ottman Azaitar having any UFC fight?

Azaitar is not on the card for UFC 307, and his last fight came in July 2023 when he lost to Francisco Prado. He was scheduled to fight at UFC Fight Night 232 in November of last year, but that bout was canceled for undisclosed reasons. The 34-year-old has a 13-2 record with 10 knockouts, and he doesn't have any fights scheduled this year.

Azaitar who is of Morocco origin comes from Cologne, Germany. At six yers of age, he trained in Jiu Jitsu and by the age of 10 he had begun his training in Muay Thai. He made his debut at UFC 242 against Teemu Packalen. In January 2021 he was cut off by UFC for breaching safety protocols.