NEW YORK – Edmen Shahbazyan won’t allow himself to become a stereotype as his star rises under the UFC banner. Shahbazyan (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), the undefeated 21-year-old who meets Brad Tavares (17-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) in a middleweight bout on Saturday at UFC 244, has all the potential to become something special in the sport. He’s shown flashes of brilliance over three octagon appearances, and he wants to keep that trend going. As more success comes Shahbazyan’s way, though, more outside temptations will be thrown his way. Countless athletes have fallen into that trap over the years, but Shahbazyan said he’s doing everything in his power to avoid those pitfalls. “It’s not tough (to stay focused),” Shahbazyan told MMA Junkie.
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