Rafael Fiziev may not believe he is close to a UFC lightweight title shot, but the Azerbaijani star thinks a crack at the BMF belt could be within reach following his statement win at UFC Baku.
Competing in front of his home fans, Rafael Fiziev delivered one of the biggest performances of his career when he knocked out Manuel Torres just 15 seconds into the second round of their main event clash. The victory provided a much-needed boost for “Ataman,” who entered the fight having won just one of his previous five outings.
While many fighters would use a marquee win to call for a title opportunity, Fiziev took a more realistic approach when asked about potentially challenging newly crowned lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.
“Oh no, bro,” Fiziev said during the UFC Baku post-fight press conference. “I’m far away from the champion, bro. No, for sure, no. I don’t like talking about miracle stuff. So, I’m far away from him, but I think I have not bad name for BMF, maybe.”
Gaethje currently holds the lightweight title and owns two victories over Fiziev, making a championship opportunity unlikely in the immediate future. However, the BMF title picture could offer a more realistic path forward.
The current BMF champion, Charles Oliveira, captured the belt after a dominant victory over Max Holloway earlier this year. Interestingly, Oliveira and Rafael Fiziev were originally scheduled to meet in October 2025 before a knee injury forced Fiziev out of the bout.
Now healthy and back in the win column, Fiziev believes there is unfinished business between them.
“Maybe BMF because we have a little story with Charles,” Fiziev said. “Yeah, maybe.”
A potential clash between Oliveira and Fiziev could become even more realistic depending on how the lightweight title picture unfolds. Oliveira has publicly campaigned for a title-versus-title showdown with Gaethje, while many fans and analysts believe Arman Tsarukyan deserves the next shot at UFC gold.
If Oliveira pursues other opportunities, including a possible future fight involving Conor McGregor, it could create an opening for Rafael Fiziev to enter the BMF title conversation.
Aside from discussing his future, Fiziev also reflected on his performance against Torres. After suffering a knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy earlier this year, he knew he could not afford another defensive lapse against a dangerous finisher.
According to Fiziev, his corner’s advice played a crucial role in securing the victory.
“My teammate, my corner told me, ‘Bro, put your left hand high, your chin down, and that’s it,’ and I followed that,” Fiziev said.
“I remember that in these rounds. When you step in front of a strong guy like him, he throws hard punches. He caught me a couple of times. I felt it. But he gave me good advice to put my chin down, keep my left hand higher, and I followed that.”
“If I didn’t follow that, maybe he gets me after throwing extra punches.”
For now, Rafael Fiziev appears content to rebuild his momentum one fight at a time. However, after delivering a highlight-reel knockout in front of a packed home crowd, the lightweight contender has already identified his next target. If the opportunity presents itself, a showdown with Charles Oliveira and a chance to compete for the BMF title could be exactly the kind of fight that puts him back among the division’s biggest names.
