Fighting out of: Baku, Azerbaijan
Professional Record: 12-4
Streak: L3
The Scoop: At a glance, Rafael Fiziev’s record shows three consecutive losses. But that doesn’t tell the full story for the No. 11 ranked lightweight contender, who gained valuable experience facing elite competition during that stretch.
In March 2023, Fiziev dropped a majority decision to former interim champion Justin Gaethje. Six months later, a knee injury forced him out in the second round of his bout against Mateusz Gamrot. Most recently, Fiziev rematched Gaethje on short notice at UFC 313, this time losing via unanimous decision to one of the division’s best.
This Saturday, Fiziev gets the chance to show how he’s grown from those setbacks when he faces rising star Ignacio Bahamondes in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Hill vs Rountree Jr. Bahamondes enters the bout riding a three-fight win streak, including first-round knockouts of Manuel Torres and Christos Giagos, and a first-round submission of Jalin Turner last time out.
