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UFC Lightweight

Rafael Fiziev VS Manuel Torres

National Gymnastics Arena, Baku, Azerbaijan

Tale of the Tape

14-5-0 Record 17-4-0
33 Age 31
173 cm Height 178 cm
182 cm Reach 187 cm
switch Stance switch
71% Finish rate 94%
64% KO rate 53%
7% Sub rate 41%

Result Summary

Rafael Fiziev def. Manuel Torres TKO (punches) · R2 0:15

Rafael Fiziev stopped Manuel Torres by TKO at 0:15 of round two in the lightweight main event of UFC Fight Night in Baku, Azerbaijan on June 27, 2026. Torres edged a competitive first round with sharp jabs and escaped two takedown attempts, but Fiziev needed just 15 seconds of round two to close the show. A spinning heel kick sent Torres crashing to the canvas, and Fiziev followed with ground-and-pound punches until referee Marc Goddard waved off the contest. The emotional homecoming win was a critical result for Fiziev, who had lost four of his previous five UFC bouts before returning to fight on home soil in Baku.

Fight Overview

Rafael Fiziev returns to his father's homeland of Azerbaijan carrying a 1-4 skid and a career at a crossroads, facing the most dangerous first-round finisher in the lightweight division in Manuel Torres, who has never seen a second round in the UFC across five appearances. Two Muay Thai-based strikers who both live for the knockout meet in a five-round main event where style guarantees violence and the stakes — for Fiziev, career survival; for Torres, a first marquee scalp — could not be higher.

Keys to Victory

Rafael Fiziev

  1. Fiziev must use lateral movement and feints to disrupt Torres's pressure rhythm and prevent him from setting his power shots.
  2. Fiziev needs to exploit his technical range advantage with teeps and long straight punches to keep Torres from closing to Muay Thai clinch distance.
  3. Fiziev must survive an aggressive early onslaught and drag Torres into championship rounds where his experience and cardio become decisive weapons.

Manuel Torres

  1. Torres must cut off the cage immediately and deny Fiziev the lateral angles that allow him to reset and counter.
  2. Torres needs to force the clinch early, mixing dirty boxing with short elbows to nullify Fiziev's kick-heavy offense at range.
  3. Torres should attack behind his jab with constant forward pressure, overwhelming Fiziev before his technical striking finds a sustainable rhythm.

Last 5 fights

Rafael Fiziev

  1. L Maurício Ruffy TKO · R2 4:30 · 31 JAN 2026
  2. W Ignacio Bahamondes Decision · R3 5:00 · 21 JUN 2025
  3. L Justin Gaethje Decision · R3 5:00 · 8 MAR 2025
  4. L Mateusz Gamrot TKO · R2 2:03 · 23 SEPT 2023
  5. L Justin Gaethje Decision · R3 5:00 · 18 MAR 2023

Manuel Torres

  1. W Grant Dawson TKO · R1 2:25 · 6 DEC 2025
  2. W Drew Dober TKO · R1 1:45 · 29 MAR 2025
  3. L Ignacio Bahamondes TKO · R1 4:02 · 14 SEPT 2024
  4. W Chris Duncan Submission · R1 1:46 · 24 FEB 2024
  5. W Nikolas Motta KO · R1 1:50 · 17 JUN 2023

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AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.

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