Rafael Fiziev silences the doubters and reminded the MMA world exactly why he’s one of the UFC’s most dangerous strikers, producing a spectacular second-round finish over Manuel Torres in front of his home fans in the main event of UFC Baku on Saturday night.
The Octagon headed to Baku, Azerbaijan, on Saturday June 27 for UFC Fight Night, where the electric crowd inside the National Gymnastics Arena witnessed a lightweight showdown between Rafael “Ataman” Fiziev and Manuel “Loco” Torres in the main event.
Torres entered this fight on a two-fight winning streak, stopping Drew Dober and Grant Dawson by first-round TKO. Those victories not only earned him consecutive Performance of the Night bonuses but also announced him as a legitimate threat in the lightweight division. His only UFC defeat came against Ignacio Bahamondes in 2024. Rather than slowing him down, that setback seems to have sharpened his confidence. With 17 professional victories, almost all coming by stoppage, Torres has built his career on relentless pressure and fight-ending power.
Rafael “Ataman” Fiziev returned home, determined to put on a show in front of his fans. For Rafael Fiziev, this fight is far more than rankings, it’s about redemption. He entered Saturday after suffering a second-round knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy earlier this year. Before that, he dropped a unanimous decision to Justin Gaethje, adding to an unfortunate run against some of the toughest names in the lightweight division. Despite those recent losses, the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Fiziev has shared the Octagon with elite fighters including Justin Gaethje, Mateusz Gamrot and Rafael dos Anjos. In June 2025, he reminded everyone of his class by defeating Ignacio Bahamondes via unanimous decision before the setback against Ruffy.
Fiziev started aggressively, opening with a body kick before landing a powerful overhand right. Torres responded by punching his way off the cage as Fiziev circled away, staying just outside his opponent’s range. Moments later, Fiziev changed levels and secured a takedown, driving Torres into the fence before bringing him down to the canvas. Torres quickly worked his way back to his feet, but the action was briefly halted after he landed an accidental knee to Fiziev’s groin. Following a short recovery, Fiziev signaled that he was ready to continue.
As the fight resumed, Torres confidently established his jab, while Fiziev answered with sharp outside leg kicks. Torres repeatedly found success with the jab, making it difficult for Fiziev to close the distance. Fiziev then caught one of Torres’ kicks and took him down again, looking to finish the round strongly with offense from the top position. However, Torres tied him up effectively before scrambling back to his feet. Fiziev landed a clean counter left hand, while Torres narrowly missed with a flying knee but followed up with a solid punch that connected. It was a competitive opening round, with both fighters enjoying moments of success.
Only 15 seconds into the second round, Fiziev unleashed the strike that will be replayed for years. As Torres advanced, Fiziev spun into a perfectly timed wheel kick that crashed into Torres’ head, instantly dropping him against the fence. Without hesitation, Fiziev pounced with a relentless flurry of ground-and-pound until the referee stopped the fight.
The knockout marked one of the most spectacular finishes of the year and earned a deafening ovation from the hometown crowd.
Speaking after the fight, Fiziev revealed that he had been dealing with a vision problem from the opening round. He said an issue with his eye had caused him to see double, leaving him uncertain about how to approach the second round. Rather than letting the setback affect his performance, Fiziev decided to take a risk. “I was seeing double after the first round,” he explained. “I thought, ‘What the hell can I do in the second round?’ So I just said, ‘To hell with it,’ and threw the spinning kick.” The gamble paid off in spectacular fashion, as the spinning wheel kick landed flush and set up one of the most memorable knockouts of the year.
When asked what he wanted next, Fiziev didn’t hesitate with his response. “BMF belt!” With the emphatic victory in front of his home crowd, Fiziev did not only snapped his losing streak but also reminded the lightweight division that he remains one of the UFC’s most dangerous strikers. His performance reignited his push toward the top of the ranking and if his post-fight callout is any indication, he has his sights set on even bigger challenges ahead.
