UFC Fight Night Fiziev vs. Torres Live Updates, Results and Highlights

There's a lot to unpack after the UFC's second visit to Baku, but here are the three biggest takeaways from the event.

Rafael Fiziev is Still Elite

Ahead of Saturday's show in Baku, there was reason to believe Rafael Fiziev was washed, and in fact, reason to wonder what he was doing anything near a UFC main event. After all, he had lost four of his last five fights. That said, context matters. One of those losses was a flukey defeat to Mateusz Gamrot, which occurred after he hurt his own foot kicking his opponent. Two of the others were decision defeats to new lightweight champ Justin Gaethje. Neither of those losses was a robbery, but they were also highly competitive. No excuses can be made for his recent knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy, but as his stunning wheel-kick KO of Manuel Torres proved, he is far from done yet. He may never work his way into title contention, but in spite of recent results, he a serious problem for anyone he meets in the Octagon at 155 pounds.

Shara Magomedov Does Not Deserve Top Billing

At his best, Shara "Bullet" Magomedov is one of the flashiest strikers in MMA. Unfortunately, he rarely seems to be at his best. He sure wasn't in Saturday's co-headliner opposite Michel Pereira. While he ultimately left the Octagon with a decision win, that was largely because Pereira stopped doing much of anything after a strong first. The intention here, to be clear, isn't to disparage Magomedov—as we said, he's brilliant at his best. Unfortunately, he's clearly not an elite MMA fighter. Let's keep him out of co-main events going forward, unless he miraculously puts together a dazzling win-streak.

It's Time to Get Serious About Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev

Turkey's Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev might be the best light heavyweight prospect since Jon Jones arrived in the UFC well over a decade ago. We're not saying he'll reach the same heights as Jones—its doubtful anyone will—but look at the numbers. After his 8-second KO of Julius Walker in Baku, he's 10-0, with nothing but finishes on his record, any many of those finishes occurring in round one. While he definitely lacks high-level experience at 25 years old, he has unbelievable raw talent. Let's start acting like it. With respect to Walker, he was a freebie for the Turkish prospect. From here, anything outside a top-20 opponent would be the same. No more underhand pitches for him. Let's see what he's really made of.

In his post-fight interview, Rafael Fiziev admitted that one of the rocket-fuelled jabs Torres landed in round one badly damaged his eye, to the point that he was having trouble seeing as he left his corner for round two.

"When I started the second round I said 'what the f**k can I do now?'" he told commentator Michael Bisping.

Clearly, he found a solution.

Fiziev's highlight-reel wheel kick KO of Torres was sorely needed. While there has never been any doubt that he's still a high-level lightweight, he entered the Octagon in Baku with a brutal 1-4 record in his last five fights. This win will do a lot a to undo the damage that terrible run wrought.

From here, there are a ton of fun fights to make for him. If he gets his way, though, it will be a BMF title fight next.

That would mean a fight with former lightweight king Charles Oliveira.

That's definitely a fun fight on paper, but it's hard to see it happening. One way or the other, Fiziev is definitely back, and his future looks bright.

If round one was any indication, we were in for a close fight.

Not so.

Just seconds into round two, Fiziev floored Torres with a gorgeous kick to the chin, and did not give his opponent a moment to breathe. A few follow-up punches later, and it was over.

Fiziev could not have a better performance in his home country, and after his brutal loss to Mauricio Ruffy, he sure needed it.

Now, for his post-fight interview!

Rafael Fiziev is clearly fired up for this one.

The Azerbaijani star was aggressive from the opening bell, planting a huge shot on Torres' chin in mere seconds. He then followed that punch up with a hard-fought takedown—a great way to neutralize a guy with a habit for first-round finishes. However, Torres was quick to get back to his feet, and started landing some nice shots of his own, notably a few hard leg kicks and jabs.

Things slowed down a but from there, but both guys had some nice lands. However, just when it looked like we were in for a super close round, Fiziev landed his second takedown of the round with a slick sweep—evidence of his Muay Thai origins. Torres managed to get back to his feet, and landed a big jab to end the round, but you've got to score this one for Fiziev. 

We've reached the main of the evening—or shall we say afternoon, given that it's not even 3pm on the East Coast of North America? 

Whatever the case, it should be a good one. 

On paper, this lightweight clash looks like a tough challenge for Azerbaijan's Fiziev, who has not fought since a somewhat surprising knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy earlier this year. His opponent, Mexico's Manuel Torres, has won eight of his last 10 fights in the first round, and will enjoy a nice reach advantage to boot. For all Fiziev's Muay Thai skill, he's really got a lot to contend with here. 

That being said, Fiziev has advantages too. While he actually has fewer pro MMA fights than Torres, he has far more experience against elite competition, notably losing a pair of close decisions to reigning lightweight champ Justin Gaethje in the past few years. He's also got plenty of firepower himself, and could certainly win this one with a single strike if he lands clean. 

The oddsmakers generally agree this one is a coin flip. Let's see if Fiziev can pull it off, or if Torres will play the spoiler behind enemy lines. 

Shara "Bullet" Magomedov got the win he sought in Baku, but it definitely fell a bit short of expectations. For all of his and Michel Pereira's highlight-reel moments, they both underwhelmed in the Octagon.

The biggest moment of their middleweight co-headliner occurred in round one, when Pereira dropped his opponent with a punch, and spent a brief period in top position. However, Magomedov gradually worked his way back into the fight—largely because Pereira seemed to forget he was in a fight at all—and after three rounds, won a unanimous decision.

With the win, Magomedov is now on a two-fight streak. His lone MMA loss, a decision setback against Michael "Venom" Page, is gradually disappearing in the rear-view, but at this point, most fans will agree he's hit his ceiling. His grappling is severely inadequate, and while his striking can be very flashy, he often looks hesitant, and also lacks decisive, one-punch power.

He's definitely still got a future in the UFC, but his win over Pereira affirmed he's better suited for prelims and main card openers than co-main events.

The UFC Baku headliner has justifiably been touted as the people's main event. It is definitely a good one.

The fight will be contested at middleweight, with Russia's Shara Magomedov taking on Michel Pereira of Brazil. Anyone who has watched the two men fight will understand the appeal. While their styles are quite different, they are both among the most unique and enigmatic strikers in the UFC. Magomedov, who hasn't fought since he thrashed Marc-Andre Barriault last July, is the picture of slickness, known in particular for his spinning attacks. Pereira, who is riding a decision win over Zach Reese, is a little less refined, but frequently hits Rolling Thunder kicks and bizarre flips in his fights, and has a decent ground game to fall back on.

Truth be told, it's unlikely either of these guys are ever going to be serious title contenders. They've both got too many holes in their games. That being said, this is an excellent, fan-friendly bit of matchmaking, and there's a good chance we're in for a very fun fight.

Azerbaijan's Nazim Sadykhov was looking good in the early moments of his lightweight clash with Brazil's Matheus Camilo. Unfortunately for him, and the throngs of Azerbaijani fight fans in attendance, the fight quickly got away from him. Just minutes into the first round, Camilo let loose a vicious right hand that sent Sadykhov crashing to the canvas. The referee was leaping in just seconds later. Sadykhov briefly protested the stoppage, but this one was fairly hard to deny. The local star hit the ground hard, and really didn't look like he was going to recover.

The win puts Camilo on a two-fight streak, and further separates him from a submission loss to Gabe Green in UFC debut. He's probably not going to be receiving a birthday card from anyone in Azerbaijan this year, but he's got to feel pretty good about his performance in Baku.

What a card this has been. So many first-round finishes!

It's been a good night for the Azerbaijani home team so far, as local heroes Tahir Abdullayev and Farman Hasanov both won their fights on the undercard. In our next main card fight, Nazim Sadykhov will look to make it 3-0 for the country at the expense of Brazil's Matheus Camilo. 

Sadykhov got off to a hot start in the Octagon, going 4-0-1 in his first five fights. However, his last fight was a tough one, as he suffered a knockout loss at the hands of Fares Ziam.

He'll undoubtedly be eager to put that loss behind him in style, particularly with Baku crowd cheering him on outside the cage. Camilo, who has gone 1-1 since joining the Octagon, will of course have other ideas. 

As far as the odds are concerned, this is a close one. Let's see who can make the most of the opportunity. 

It's been a good couple of weeks for submissions in the UFC.

Last week, we saw Murtazali Magomedov wrap up an ultra-rare Scottish twister. This week, we got another super rare submission courtesy of Kazakhstan's Asu Almabayev, who folded a tough Charles Johnson in half with a Suloev Stretch in round three of their flyweight contest.

This was a massive win for the Kazakh—and not just because he's the first fighter from his country to beat Johnson after two others failed to do so. The victory put him on a three-fight win streak, and the highlight-reel nature of it makes it far more valuable than a decision, or even a more typical submission win.

There's quite a queue forming for a crack at flyweight champ Joshua Van, and Almabayev certainly won't be next—especially since he recently lost to Manel Kape—but he is getting very close.

Don't be surprised if he's fighting for the belt sometime in the next year or two.

Charles Johnson has scored some amazing wins in the Octagon, notably knocking out reigning flyweight champ Joshua Van and top contender Lone'er Kavanagh. That said, a handful of ill-timed loses have kept him from reaching the top of the division. He'll once again look to change that in Baku, when he takes on Kazakhstan's Asu Almabayev.

It's an important fight for Almabayev too. He's now two fights removed from a tough loss to Manel Kape, and once again nearing the top of the weight class. If he can beat Johnson, the top-5 could be next.

Flyweights rarely fail to entertain. Let's hope this fight is no exception. Here we go.

In the end, Brunno Ferreira had almost nothing for Ikram Aliskerov. While the Brazilian deserves some credit for surviving three rounds with the Russian, he was beaten from pillar to post—both out-struck on the feet, and thrashed on the ground.

The unanimous decision win was very important for Aliskerov, who had not fought since he beat "The Iron Turtle" Park Jun-yong last year. With the victory, he's now on a three-fight streak, and most likely on track for a fight with a top-15 opponent. That said, a finish definitely would have served him much better—even if he was utterly dominant in the fight.

The main card will continue with another middleweight fight, as Russia's Ikram Aliskerov battles Brazil's Brunno Ferreira. Like Magomedov and Oleksiejczuk before them, both guy have a ton of experience against very high level fighters, so we can expect plenty of veteran technique and trap-setting in this one.

It's an important fight for both men. Ferreira hasn't fought since he was brutally knocked out by Gregory Rodrigues earlier this year, and surely wants to put that ugly memory behind him. Aliskerov, on the other hand, has won two straight, and is obviously keen to mount another run toward the top-15, after his last attempt to crack the rankings was derailed by Robert Whittaker.

Ferreira is walking out now, so let's get into it.

"Abus Magomedov has never looked better in the Octagon than he did tonight," commentator John Gooden said as the Russian-born German climbed off his vanquished opponent.

He wasn't exaggerating.

With just over a minute remaining in the first round, Magomedov stung Michal Oleksiejczuk with a sneaky elbow to the forehead. The beautifully-timed strike put the Pole on wobbly legs, and Magomedov didn't let him recover. After blasting him with a few punches, he chased him to the ground, and locked up a guillotine choke that immediately looked inescapable. The tap came moments later.

The win separates Magomedov from a loss to Joe Pyfer, and derails a three-fight streak for Oleksiejczuk. Given how impressive the performance was, we can expect the German to get a bigger name next time out.

He really looked incredible. Hats off.

With the prelims concluded, it's time to move onto the main card.

We'll get started in the middleweight division, as Octagon mainstays Abus Magomedov and Michal Oleksiejczuk in a Germany vs. Poland matchup. Both guys have tons of experience against world class fighters, having battled the likes of Sean Strickland, Khalil Rountree Jr., and Caio Borralho collectively. Magomedov will be looking to bounce back from a submission loss to surging contender Joe Pyfer, while Oleksiejczuk has quietly won three straight.

This is a solid bit of matchmaking, and a nice way to kick off the main card. The fighters are almost ready to walk out, so let's get to it.

Farman Hasanov couldn't pull of a finish for his Azerbaijani fans in Baku, but he was utterly dominant in his prelim fight with Eric Nolan. He landed takedowns in every round, and racked up close to 10 minutes of control time in the process. He definitely seemed to fatigue as the fight went on, but he dug deep, and ultimately walked away with a clear-cut unanimous decision.

In victory, he's now 6-0 overall. He's got a long way to go before he gets the chance to mix it up with the welterweight elite, but he's clearly got the wrestling ability to trouble many fighters in the division.

The final fight of the prelims will be contested at welterweight, as Azerbaijan's own Farman Hasanov takes on American Eric Nolan.

Hasanov will be making his Octagon debut with a 5-0 pro record, and the hopes and expectations of the Azerbaijani crowd in his hands. He's slightly favored to beat the more experienced Nolan (8-4), but not by much.

Let's see how this shakes out, then get into the main card.

We've already covered how good Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev looked in his first nine fights. Amazingly, his return to action in Baku was arguably the best performance of his career so far, as he floored Julius Walker with the first punch he threw—a left hook just a few seconds into the first-round. A few follow-up strikes on the ground was all it took to seal the deal. The victory clocks as the seventh fastest in UFC history, and the second fastest in the light heavyweight division—quite a feather in the young "Hunter's" cap.

Now 10-0 overall, it's time to take away Yakhyaev's training wheels. He may not get a ranked opponent next, but if he doesn't, he needs somebody just outside the top-15. Somebody credible, with lots of experience against top opposition.

This guy could very easily become a champion—and possibly quite soon.

Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev is one of the best prospects in the light heavyweight division, which is always desperate for new blood. The Turkish "Hunter" is 9-0 overall, 2-0 in the UFC, and has finished all of his fights—most of them early in the first round. And he's still just 25! Despite all that, he has inexplicably been matched up with Julis Walker, who is just 1-2 in the UFC, and probably fighting for his spot on the roster.

There's no way around it: This matchup is a head-scratcher, and it's not clear what the matchmakers were thinking when they booked it.

Let's see if Walker can prove us all wrong, and show that this is not the mismatch it looks like.

Nursulton Ruziboev couldn't have looked better in his long-awaited return to the Octagon. After over 400 days away—in what happened to be his 50th pro fight—the towering Uzbek veteran quickly threw Andrey Pulyaev to the canvas, locked in a rear-naked choke, and put him right to sleep.

"Man, he is out," commentator Paul Felder said as Pulyaev gradually regained consciousness. He was not exaggerating.

Ruziboev has now won three straight fights since a decision defeat against ranked welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley. You can never be sure what the UFC matchmakers are planning, but a ranked middleweight opponent is probably coming up soon for him.

Uzbekistan's Nursulton Ruziboev has proven himself as a fighter to watch in the UFC middleweight division. Unfortunately, he's been out of action since May of last year.

The good news is that he'll get back to action in Baku, and his return is up next. He'll be taking on Russia's Andrey Pulyaev, who will be looking to rebound from a tough decision loss to red-hot prospect Ateba Gautier last time out.

Experience is definitely on Ruziboev's side—he's fought over three times more than his opponent—but who knows how this one will go. Let's get to it.

Despite a huge reach disadvantage, Kaan Ofli proved to be too crafty for Javier Reyes. Mid-way through the first round, the Turkish-Australian prospect sent his foe crashing to the canvas with a punch. He then followed him to the mat, and after a brief struggle, tapped him out with an arm-triangle choke. It was a beautiful performance—perhaps the best of the card so far.

"I knew I had all the tools to take this guy out," he said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping.

He definitely proved that.

In victory, Ofli has now won three-straight, and put more distance between himself and his last loss, a 2025 decision setback against Muhammad Naimov. That's some solid momentum, so he can expect a tough test next time out.

Up next, we've got a featherweight fight between Kaan Ofli from Turkey, and Colombia's Javier Reyes, who made a long trip from Arizona to be in Baku.

Ofli will be looking to build on the momentum of back-to-back wins over Ricardo Ramos and Yizha. Reyes, a Contender Series graduate, will be looking to follow up on an impressive stoppage of Douglas Silva de Andrade in his UFC debut.

Ofli is about to walk to the cage, so we'll hand it over to Bruce Buffer.

Daniil Donchenko is still undefeated in the UFC. The Ukrainian welterweight prospect picked up his third-straight Octagon win in Baku, gradually breaking down Theodor Berggren with leg kicks and body shots, and finally felling him with a head kick and swarm of punches in round two.

This guy is a great prospect. Time will tell how far he can get in the crowded welterweight division, but he's definitely got the skills and power to make some waves.

If he gets his way, his next fight will be in Paris in September. Hopefully, he gets his wish, because it would be great to see more of him soon.

For the third fight of the night, we'll had back to the welterweight division. In one corner, we've got Ukraine's Daniil Donchenko. In the other is Theodor Berggren from Sweden.

Donchenko, a veteran of The Ultimate Fighter, will be looking to improve his UFC record to 3-0. Berggren, meanwhile, will be making his UFC debut following a run in England's Cage Warriors and Sweden's Fight Club Rush.

While it didn't produce a finish, the second bout of the night was much better than the first, as Jean Matsumoto defeated Bekzat Almakhan by unanimous decision in a thrilling three-rounder that showcased many different aspects of the sport. 

Both men had big moments in the fight—Almakhan with his power striking, and Matsumoto with takedowns and some nice striking sequences himself. By the time round three was up, it was clear we had a very close fight on our hands, but the judges ultimately sided with the Brazilian. 

With the win, he's now 4-2 in the UFC. The defeated Kazakh, meanwhile, falls to a tough 1-3 in the Octagon. 

For the second bout of the night, we'll head to the bantamweight division, where Kazakhstan's Bekzat Almakhan will take on Brazil's Jean Matsumoto. Matsumoto, who sports a strong 17-2 record, will be looking to rebound from a split decision loss to the unbeaten Farid Basharat. Almakhan, who sits at 12-3, will look to distance himself from a decision loss to Aleksandre Topuria—Ilia Topuria's big brother.

This one has potential. Let's see how it goes.

Anyone struggling to stay awake for these morning fights likely wasn't helped by the opening bout of the card, which saw Tahir Abdullayev defeat Jefferson Nascimento by third-round TKO in a definite snoozer. 

The two welterweights did almost nothing in rounds one and two, leaving the judges with very little to work with. Thankfully, Abdullayev came alive in round three, but his TKO win was the subject of immediate controversy, as it was clearly on the early side. 

It wasn't the worst fight we've ever seen, but between the lack of action and the dubious stoppage, it sure wasn't a great one either. Hopefully, the action picks up a bit from here.

The action will begin in the welterweight division, as hometown hero Tahir Abdullayev takes on Jefferson Nascimento of Brazil. Both men will be making their Octagon debuts with great records. Abdullayev is 21-3 overall, and riding four straight wins—all finishes, and all before the third round. Nascimento, a former LFA champion with two title defenses to his credit, is undefeated at 13-0, with a real knack for finishes himself. This should be a good one—though it may not be a long one. 

It's almost time. Let's get to it.