Rafael Fiziev headlines UFC Baku against Manuel Torres
Rafael Fiziev headlines UFC Baku this Saturday against Manuel Torres at the National Gymnastics Arena, looking to bounce back from his loss to Mauricio Ruffy earlier this year.
The lightweight bout caps the promotion's final card before a weeklong break, with Fiziev fighting in front of an Azerbaijani crowd as the country's biggest UFC star. Torres enters as the surging contender at 155 pounds, per MMA Fighting's breakdown of the event.
Can Fiziev regain his form against rising Torres?
The matchup pits Fiziev's striking pedigree against Torres' momentum in the lightweight division. Fiziev trained in Kazakhstan before building his reputation as one of the sport's elite Muay Thai practitioners, but the Ruffy setback raised questions about his path forward.
Torres represents a test of whether Fiziev can recapture the form that made him a ranked threat. The card also features Michel Pereira in what could be a pivotal bout for the veteran.
UFC Baku airs Saturday with the main card expected to start at 4 p.m. ET.
Photo: Vomnx / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Original reporting:
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