Off leash at home, Ricky Simon glad to come back for UFC Seattle bonus

SEATTLE – Ricky Simon beat Javid Basharat with a first-round knockout Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 252 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

Take a look inside the fight with Simon, who had betting odds of 12-1 against him to win by knockout.

Ricky Simon def. Javid Basharat

Result: Ricky Simon def. Javid Basharat via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 3:58
Updated records: Simon (21-6 MMA, 9-5 UFC), Basharat (14-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC)
Key stats: Simon now has more than half his wins by stoppage with 11 finishes and 10 decisions.

Simon on the fight’s key moment

“I thought I was going to have to rest a little bit more for sure. But I kept telling myself, ‘What’s the best-case scenario?’ I was like, ‘First-round knockout in my home state.’ And yeah, I couldn’t have dreamt of a better moment – honestly, a dream come true.”

Feb 22, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Ricky Simon (red gloves) fights Javid Basharat (blue gloves) in the bantamweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Simon on fighting near home

“I knew I was going to get a lot of pop for sure, because I came up in Washington as an amateur and a pro and I always had a big crowd, people always going crazy. I had to tell myself not to let that energy get to me. I’m a seasoned veteran at this point, so I didn’t want to be overzealous. I wanted to go in there and follow the game plan.”

Ricky Simon def. Javid Basharat, UFC Fight Night 252 (via UFC)

Simon on what he wants next

“I always try to have a name and be ready, but I was just totally focused on getting this win, not trying to look past this f*cking fighter. I knew Javid was very, very good, so I just wanted to focus on him. I wasn’t like, ‘Oh, what’s next?’ I definitely want to stay active. I know my coaches won’t like me saying this, but if they wanted me to fight in Mexico City at the end of the month, I’d do that.”

To hear more from Simon, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.