Rafael Fiziev credited UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje for giving him the motivation he needed to finish Manuel Torres at UFC Baku.
Fiziev had an outstanding performance in the main event of UFC Baku when he knocked out Torres in the second round with a spinning wheel kick and punches, picking up his first knockout win since 2022 in the process. He also got out of a deep slump, as he entered the bout having lost four of his last five fights, including two decision defeats to Gaethje.
After the fight, Fiziev credited his performance partly to seeing what Gaethje did at UFC Freedom 250 when he pulled off one of the biggest upsets of all time in MMA history when he beat Ilia Topuria.
Rafael Fiziev Praises Justin Gaethje
Given that Fiziev and Gaethje fought twice in the Octagon, sharing 30 minutes of blood and sweat inside the cage with each other, Fiziev has a deep respect for Gaethje, and he made that known in his post-fight interview with the UFC on Paramount+ following his win over Torres at UFC Baku.
“Justin, man, you don’t know how you motivated me. I wish you jumped into my body and just felt how I like you, how I love you, after your performance (against Topuria), bro. Yeah, you gave me a lot of motivation because I don’t believe in myself so much. I was thinking, ‘How can I believe in myself again after all (the recent losses?’ It’s so hard. And this guy stepped into the cage, and he made me happy. I stepped into the cage tonight, and I believed in my power because of this guy, I think. Thanks, bro. My man,” Fiziev said.
Rafael Fiziev Hoping for BMF Title Fight Next
Following his win over Torres, Fiziev called for a BMF title fight against Charles Oliveira in his next fight.
These two were supposed to meet last year at UFC Sao Paulo, but Fiziev was forced to pull out with an injury. Now, a year later, Fiziev wants to step back into the cage with Oliveira, only this time with the BMF title on the line between the two veterans.
We’ll see what the UFC opts to do with the lightweight belt and the BMF title, as Oliveira is hoping for a rematch of his own against Gaethje next. But a fight between Fiziev and Oliveira would no doubt be fun.
Rafael Fiziev Credits Justin Gaethje for Giving Him Extra Motivation