UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres Preview: Full Fight Card Breakdown
Rafael Fiziev fights at home on June 27. The National Gymnastics Arena in Baku hosts the UFC's second card in Azerbaijan, and Fiziev — born in Kazakhstan but representing Azerbaijan — is the reason this city has become a destination venue. He knows what a second consecutive loss in front of these fans would mean, and so does the UFC.
The challenger across from him, Manuel Torres, does not care about any of that. Torres has finished 16 of his 17 wins in the first round. He currently posts the second-shortest average fight time in UFC lightweight history. If Torres lands clean, the geography stops mattering.
Full Fight Card
| Fight | Weight Class | Card Section |
|---|---|---|
| Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres | Lightweight | Main Card |
| Michel Pereira vs. Sharabutdin Magomedov | Middleweight | Main Card |
| Nazim Sadykhov vs. Matheus Camilo | Lightweight | Main Card |
| Asu Almabayev vs. Charles Johnson | Flyweight | Main Card |
| Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferreira | Middleweight | Main Card |
| Michał Oleksiejczuk vs. Abusupiyan Magomedov | Middleweight | Main Card |
| Farman Hasanov vs. Eric Nolan | Welterweight | Preliminary Card |
| Julius Walker vs. Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev | Light Heavyweight | Preliminary Card |
| Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Andrey Pulyaev | Middleweight | Preliminary Card |
| Kaan Ofli vs. Javier Reyes | Featherweight | Preliminary Card |
| Daniil Donchenko vs. Theodor Berggren | Welterweight | Preliminary Card |
| Bekzat Almakhan vs. Jean Matsumoto | Bantamweight | Preliminary Card |
Main Event: Fiziev vs. Torres
Fiziev entered the UFC's top ten as one of the most technically gifted kickboxers in the division. He has not been there for a while. His last four fights produced three losses — TKO defeats to Maurício Ruffy at UFC 325 in February 2026 and to Justin Gaethje twice, with only a decision win over Ignacio Bahamondes in Baku last June showing the good version. He is ranked eleventh in the lightweight division. A loss here accelerates a difficult conversation.
Torres is not the kind of opponent you schedule when you need a win. The Mexican lightweight known as "El Loco" is currently on a two-fight win streak with back-to-back Performance of the Night bonuses — a 1:45 TKO of Drew Dober and a 2:25 TKO of Grant Dawson. Both finished in the first round. Of Torres's 17 wins, 16 came before the second round started. He leads the UFC lightweight division in knockdowns per 15 minutes.
The stylistic collision is the story. Fiziev relies on timing, angles, and his "Matrix" head-movement defense to create space. Torres relies on pressure and one-punch violence at close range. If Fiziev manages distance, he accumulates. If Torres closes that distance and lands one of his combinations clean, the fight ends fast.
Fiziev is a slight favorite at home. The betting public has been backing Torres at over 60 percent of handle. Both positions are defensible.
Co-Main Event: Pereira vs. Magomedov
Sharabutdin "Shara" Magomedov has built a 5-1 UFC record out of Dagestan with a finish rate and an explosive style that generates attention. His lone UFC loss came in a five-round contest, and he enters this fight as a slight favorite over Michel Pereira.
Pereira needs no stylistic introduction. The Venezuelan-Brazilian is one of the more watchable middleweights in the division — unorthodox, capable of producing highlights and getting finished in the same night. He comes in on a split-decision win over Zach Reese in February 2026 after three consecutive losses to Anthony Hernandez, Abus Magomedov, and Kyle Daukaus. This is a matchup where either fighter can look like a prospect or a cautionary tale depending on the round.
Notable Bouts
Aliskerov vs. Ferreira: Ikram Aliskerov — the Dagestani middleweight with a notable TKO win over Roman Dolidze — faces Brazilian finisher Brunno Ferreira. This is a high-finish-probability middleweight fight between two men who have not shown much interest in going five rounds.
Almabayev vs. Johnson: Asu Almabayev represents Kazakhstan and provides regional continuity for the Baku crowd. He meets Charles Johnson in a flyweight bout that doubles as a showcase for the card's undercard depth.
The Baku Context
This card reflects the UFC's deliberate strategy in Azerbaijan. The organization has a multi-year cooperation agreement with the country and is using Baku as a regional hub for fighters from the former Soviet bloc. The card features athletes from Kazakhstan, Russia, Dagestan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan. Fiziev is the anchor of that strategy — a recognizable face who fights with the flag and the crowd behind him.
The organization built two fights around him in this city. Both decisions came down to Fiziev performing. Saturday is no different.