DashFight Presents: A Day in the Life of.... MK_Azerbaijan

Hamid "MK_Azerbaijan" Mustafayev is one of the most lovable men in the community and someone always looking to help out. He burst onto the scene in Mortal Kombat 11 especially during the WePlay Dragon Temple event where he made top 8. 

He returned for WUFL Season 1 and was in top 4 falling to Rewind. Most recently in Mortal Kombat 1, he was the winner of Viennality 2023.

Excited for a new chapter of the game, we were able to catch up with him to get an idea of what his day looks like.

DF: How does the typical day go for you?

MK_A:  I usually wake up on 8 am and go to work. I am procurement specialist in one of Azerbaijan’s biggest medical equipment and supply companies. After work I sometimes meet with my friends or just sit at home and grind the game

DF: Do you ever get nervous on the day of a tournament? If so, how do you deal with the nerves?

MK_A: Getting nervous in the tournament is one of the most underrated aspects on why people don’t do well in offline competitions. I also get nervous but I know how to deal with it. You have to understand and accept your mental state and cooperate with it instead of resisting. It looks a bit funny but it always works for me. When I get nervous my hands are getting cold, and when my hands are cold I always play bad as if my hands are not listening to me. So what I do is, I wear 2 (at WePlay for example, I wore 3 socks lol) socks to keep my feet warm. And I try to wear as much clothes as possible (That is why you always see me in a hoodie with a hat) to keep myself warm. Idk if that is the or is it just psychological, but either way it helps me lol.

DF: Do you have any pre-tournament rituals, like a special shirt, or some other thing that helps you prepare for the day ahead?

MK_A: Not particularly, I always try to wear my most comfortable clothes.

DF: What’s your routine on the night before a big tournament?

MK_A: I don’t have any to be honest. I usually hear people say you have to sleep well and eat well before tournament but 99% of the time, I slept around 3-4 am before my tournaments.

DF: Do you have a favourite pre-tournament meal? If so, what is it? And if you don’t have one, what would you imagine you’d want as one?

MK_A: I try to eat very little and not something heavy on a tournament day. Because after a good meal I always get sleepy.

DF: Do you prefer to practice during the day or at night, and what are the benefits of your preferred time slot?

MK_A: I usually grind at nights due to my work schedule. But any time of the day is okay to be honest. You just have to practice efficiently.

DF: How do you practice before tournaments, does your practice emphasis change just before an event?

MK_A:  I'Il always try to find something that people still don’t know or never faced before. I always have my own weird tricks that help me throughout my tournament run.

DF: If you lose in tournament, what is your go-to activity to help you get back up?

MK_A:  I was way aggressive after losing in my first years but at this point, I don’t even care anymore about losing because I already proved myself on the world stage several times, so I know everyone knows I am good (lol). After losing I usually just try to enjoy the rest of the tournament.

DF: What side are you on this debate: Fans should not come up to a player who just lost for a photo or an autograph? Why do you think so?

MK_A:  It is understandable that some players might get salty after a loss. But never ever in my case. I always try to be positive and responsive when I meet people who like the way I play and support me.

DF: What tips would you give anyone on the best way to prepare for a tournament?

MK_A: Just grind the matchups, this is the best way to understand the game better. Try to ask for the games people who are the masters of their characters.