It is safe to say that Rafael Fiziev still belongs among the lightweight elite. After going 1-3 in his previous four fights and suffering a brutal knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy, ‘Ataman’ silenced any doubts with a spectacular second-round finish of Manuel Torres in the main event of UFC Baku. The victory was made even more impressive by the fact that Torres had not seen a second round in nearly eight years.
The Mexican entered the contest with 16 career first-round finishes and a reputation for overwhelming opponents early. Fiziev, however, broke that trend in emphatic fashion, knocking Torres out just 15 seconds into Round 2 with a perfectly timed spinning back kick. The kick landed flush on Torres’ chin, sending him crashing to the canvas before Fiziev followed up with vicious ground-and-pound that forced the stoppage moments later.
The opening round had been far more competitive. Fiziev started aggressively, pressing forward and backing Torres toward the fence. Torres eventually settled into the fight and began using his reach advantage effectively, forcing Fiziev onto the back foot and even mixing in a takedown attempt. Fiziev read it well, dragging Torres to the canvas along the fence, though the Mexican quickly returned to his feet.
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The round featured several momentum swings. Torres landed an accidental low blow, while Fiziev had his base compromised by a well-placed leg kick shortly afterward. Midway through the frame, the bout looked every bit as close as the betting odds had suggested. Fiziev continued attacking Torres’ lead leg late in the round and absorbed a punch in return. Moments later, however, he brilliantly caught a kick and swept Torres to the mat.
Torres bounced back up with less than 30 seconds remaining and finished the round throwing heavy shots, but for the first time since 2018, he was forced to fight beyond the opening five minutes. Whether that played a role or not, the timing was impossible to ignore. Just seconds into Round 2, Fiziev unleashed a spinning back kick that landed perfectly on Torres’ chin. As Torres collapsed, Fiziev swarmed with follow-up strikes.
Although Torres briefly made it back to his feet, he was met with a barrage of clean punches that left him unconscious on the canvas, prompting referee Marc Goddard to wave off the fight just 15 seconds into the round. The post-fight interview proved nearly as memorable as the finish itself. Riding the momentum of the biggest win of his recent career, Fiziev immediately set his sights on the BMF title and its current holder, Charles Oliveira.
The two were previously scheduled to meet at UFC Rio in October last year before an injury forced Fiziev out of the bout. Reflecting on the knockout and his championship ambitions, Fiziev said, “Bro, I couldn’t see anything in my left eye. When I closed my left eye, I could see everything. I just threw a spinning back kick, and you know what happened now. BMF belt? BMF belt? Who don’t want to be the BMF? Me, I want the BMF belt.”
Fiziev further clarified his ambitions during the post-fight press conference, acknowledging that a lightweight title shot remains out of reach for now. Having previously lost twice to Justin Gaethje and coming off an inconsistent stretch before UFC Baku, the Azerbaijani star understands that he still has work to do before re-entering the championship conversation.
However, he believes a fight against Oliveira is a far more realistic target, especially given the history between the two. Explaining his position, Fiziev said, “I’m far away from the champion. For sure, non (title shot for me). I don’t like to talk about miracle stuff. I’m far away from (Gaethje), but I think I don’t have a bad name for BMF, maybe? Maybe BMF, because we have a bit of a story with Charles.”
As for his performance in front of a home crowd, the victory marked a crucial rebound following his knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy in January. Facing another dangerous finisher in Torres, Fiziev knew he could not afford to make defensive mistakes against an opponent capable of ending the fight with a single strike. It will be fascinating to see whether the UFC grants him the opportunity to settle unfinished business with Oliveira or matches him against another top contender in the lightweight division.
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