At the outset of his mixed martial arts career, each time Javid Basharat stepped into the cage to compete, he walked out victorious. Ten straight wins in the regional ranks brought about an opportunity on Season 5 of Dana White’s Contender Series, where a purposefully drawn-out third-round submission of Oron Kahlon landed him a spot on the UFC roster, and three more wins had him rising through the bantamweight ranks at 14-0.
As he readies to return to action this weekend in Las Vegas against promotional newcomer Gianni Vasquez, the 29-year-old does so having gone three straight appearances without experiencing that familiar victorious feeling.