Rafael Fiziev confirmed to journalist Janer Akbaba that he will compete at UFC Baku on June 27. Turkish journalist Akbaba stated he knows the opponent but cannot reveal the name, narrowing it down to three possibilities: Dan Hooker, Manuael Torres, or Brian Ortega. Recent reports indicate Torres has signed a bout agreement, strongly suggesting Fiziev will face Torres in Baku. The only remaining question is whether this will be the main or co-main event of the card.
Reports are emerging that Rafael Fiziev is set to compete at UFC Baku on June 27, with unconfirmed but increasingly credible indications that Manuel Torres will be his opponent on that card.
Fiziev himself confirmed his participation at the event to Turkish journalist Janer Akbaba, who stated he knows the opponent's identity but is not yet able to disclose it. Akbaba named three candidates — Dan Hooker, Manuel Torres, and Brian Ortega — but recent reports that Torres has already signed a bout agreement have made that matchup the heavy frontrunner. Whether the bout lands in the main event or co-main event slot has yet to be determined.
Fiziev, 33, is a Kazakh lightweight ranked seventh in the division and carries a 14-5 record fighting out of Tiger Muay Thai. A switch-stance striker standing 173 cm with a 180 cm reach, he lands 4.71 significant strikes per minute at a 52 percent accuracy rate, numbers that mark him as one of the more dangerous stand-up fighters in the lightweight rankings.
Torres is not represented in the verified fighter database, so detailed stats on him are unavailable at this stage. Hooker, ranked fifth at lightweight, is a 36-year-old New Zealander out of City Kickboxing with a 24-14 record and a high-volume striking game of his own, landing 4.82 significant strikes per minute. Ortega, ranked tenth at featherweight, is a 35-year-old American with a 16-5 record and a dangerous submission game, averaging 0.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes — though his inclusion always seemed the least likely given the divisional mismatch.
Why it matters
- A Fiziev win over Torres could push him back toward the top five in a competitive lightweight division
- The bout agreement report significantly narrows the field, though no official announcement has been made
- Fiziev's striking-first style against Torres promises an explosive stand-up contest if the matchup is confirmed
