UFC Baku Preview: Rafael Fiziev vs Manuel Torres Headlines Fight Night in Azerbaijan
Rafael Fiziev returns to home soil looking to snap a difficult run of form when he headlines UFC Baku against rising lightweight contender Manuel Torres. Here's everything you need to know about the main event and the key fights taking place in Azerbaijan this weekend.
UFC Baku returns with an exciting lightweight main event as Rafael Fiziev (13-5) takes on surging Mexican contender Manuel Torres (17-3) in Azerbaijan.
It has been a year since the UFC hosted its first event in Azerbaijan, which saw Khalil Rountree earn a dominant decision victory over Jamahal Hill in the main event.
Fiziev aims to bounce back
The Azerbaijan international last fought in January, where he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 325.
The last time 'Ataman' was victorious was at the National Gymnastics Arena in 2025, scoring a unanimous decision win over Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC Baku.
The 33-year-old enters UFC Baku having lost four of his last five fights and will be desperate to return to winning ways in front of a home crowd.
Fiziev is known for his entertaining fighting style and will be hoping to reignite his career while protecting his position at number 11 in the UFC lightweight rankings.
Torres on the rise at lightweight
'El Loco' enters the contest on the back of consecutive knockout victories over Drew Dober at UFC Mexico City and Grant Dawson at UFC 323.
The number 15-ranked lightweight contender was previously known for his submission skills before joining the UFC, but since earning a contract on Dana White's Contender Series in 2021, Torres has developed into a dangerous striker.
The 31-year-old has only gone to the judges' scorecards once in his professional career, with the majority of his victories coming inside the first round.
A victory over the hometown favourite would move Torres closer to the lightweight top 10 and further establish him as one of the division's most exciting contenders.
Other key fights at UFC Baku
There are several highly anticipated bouts taking place in Azerbaijan this weekend.
Sharaputdin Magomedov (16-1) returns to the Octagon to face fellow fan favourite Michel Pereira (32-14, 2NC) in the co-main event.
Nazim Sadykhov (11-2-1) is back in Baku, aiming to return to the win column against Matheus Camilo (10-3).
A flyweight contender clash sees Asu Almabayev (23-3) looking to defend his place in the top 10 against Charles Johnson (19-8).
Two middleweights with ranking ambitions will also collide as Ikram Aliskerov (17-2) takes on Brunno Ferreira (15-3).
The main card opener sees Abus Magomedov (28-7-1) face Michal Oleksiejczuk (22-9, 1NC) in a crucial middleweight contest.
With a hometown hero looking to halt a difficult run of form, a rising contender hoping to break into the elite at lightweight, and several intriguing matchups throughout the card, UFC Baku has all the ingredients for an action-packed fight night in Azerbaijan. For Fiziev, it is a chance to reignite his career. For Torres, it could be the victory that launches him into serious contention in one of the UFC's most competitive divisions.
A Multimedia Sports Journalism graduate from UCFB Manchester, Charlie Oxtoby covers combat sports, football, and darts, with MMA being his main passion. He has written articles for The Sun while also contributing MMA content to sports websites in a voluntary capacity. Charlie also produces graphics to share live results from UFC numbered events on X and Instagram. He focuses primarily on covering the UFC, PFL, and Cage Warriors, while also keeping a close eye on the regional scene to spotlight emerging prospects who could become major names in MMA. Now a writer for Combat Evolved, Charlie mainly covers MMA, along with selected boxing pieces, ranging from previews and results to announcements and breaking news.
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