The UFC was in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Saturday for a solid UFC Baku card. The main event saw lightweight contenders throw down as Rafael Fiziev took on Manuel Torres in a pivotal fight at lightweight.
Fiziev entered the bout coming off a TKO loss to Mauricio Ruffy and was 1-4 in his last five. Torres, meanwhile, was on a two-fight winning streak and was coming off a TKO win over Grant Dawson.
Ultimately, it was Fiziev who scored a second-round KO win over Torres, as he landed a spinning wheel kick and followed it up with punches to get the victory. Following UFC Baku, here is what I think should be next for the lightweight contenders.
Rafael Fiziev
Rafael Fiziev returned to the win column in a big way at UFC Baku, as he scored a second-round knockout win over Manuel Torres. It was a statement win for Fiziev to prove he’s still a legit contender at lightweight. Had he lost, he would have been more of a gatekeeper.
With the win, Fiziev remains in the top-15 and could get a top-10 opponent next. A logical next bout for Fiziev is to rematch Mateusz Gamrot. The two fought in 2023 in a main event at the Apex, and Fiziev suffered a knee injury in the second round. The fight deserves a clear outcome, and the winner of the bout should get a top-five opponent, as it’s a perfect Fight Night main event.
Manuel Torres
Manuel Torres was set for his first UFC main event and a tough task against Rafael Fiziev at UFC Baku. Torres had success in the first round, but got caught by a kick in the second round.
With the loss at UFC Baku, Torres will be back to the drawing board. He will likely need to fight an unranked opponent next, as he’s ranked 15th. A logical next fight is to face the winner of Terrance McKinney vs. King Green at UFC 329. The fight would be all-action, and the winner should get a top-15 guy.
What do you think should be next for Rafael Fiziev and Manuel Torres after UFC Baku?