Rafael Fiziev confirmed in an interview with Janer Akbaba that his next fight will take place at UFC Baku on June 27. Turkish journalist Akbaba revealed he knows Fiziev's opponent but cannot disclose the name yet. However, Akbaba stated the opponent will be one of three fighters: Dan Hooker, Manuel Torres, or Brian Ortega. Yesterday, information emerged that Manuel Torres signed a contract for a bout. Based on this, it appears Fiziev will face Torres in Baku, though it remains unclear whether this will be the main or co-main event.
Rafael Fiziev has confirmed he will compete at UFC Baku on June 27, with the identity of his opponent still officially undisclosed but narrowed to one of three names.
Fiziev, known as "Ataman," revealed the news in an interview with Turkish journalist Janer Akbaba, who stated he knows the opponent but is not yet able to name them publicly. Akbaba indicated the fight will be against Dan Hooker, Manuel Torres, or Brian Ortega. Separately, reports surfaced that Torres recently signed a contract for a bout, pointing toward a Fiziev vs. Torres matchup in Azerbaijan, though whether the fight will serve as the main or co-main event has not been confirmed.
Fiziev carries a 14-5 record and sits seventh in the UFC lightweight rankings. The 33-year-old Kazakhstani, who trains out of Tiger Muay Thai, lands 4.71 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy and fights out of a switch stance.
Torres, nicknamed "El Loco," is a 31-year-old Mexican lightweight with a 17-4 record fighting out of Entram Gym. His output is striking — he lands 7.29 significant strikes per minute at 59 percent accuracy, among the higher marks in the division. He also averages 1.72 takedowns per 15 minutes, giving him a more varied offensive game than his aggressive stand-up reputation alone might suggest.
Hooker, the third name floated, is a New Zealand-based veteran at City Kickboxing. The 36-year-old switch-hitter holds a 24-14 record and is currently ranked fifth at lightweight, averaging 4.82 significant strikes per minute across his career.
Why it matters
- Fiziev at number seven and Hooker at number five means a potential top-ten lightweight collision with direct ranking implications
- Torres's recent contract signing makes the Fiziev vs. Torres pairing the most likely outcome based on current reporting
- All three potential opponents are switch-stance strikers, setting up a technical stand-up contest regardless of who is confirmed
