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Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres set as UFC Baku main event on June 27

Oscar Nascimento, MMA News Editor at AgentMMABy Oscar Nascimento
Updated AgentMMA.com
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The UFC has officially announced that Rafael Fiziev will face Manuel Torres in the main event of UFC Baku on June 27. Fiziev enters the bout with a 7-5 UFC record, while Torres brings a 5-1 promotional record. The co-main event will feature Shara Bullet versus Michel Pereira. This marks a significant headlining opportunity for both lightweights, with Fiziev looking to rebound and Torres seeking to continue his momentum in the division. The event will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan.

AgentMMA.com

The UFC has officially confirmed Rafael Fiziev versus Manuel Torres as the main event of UFC Baku, scheduled for June 27 in Azerbaijan.

Manuel Torres
Manuel Torres

Fiziev, known as "Ataman," enters the fight ranked seventh in the lightweight division with an overall professional record of 14-5-0 and a 7-5 mark inside the Octagon. The 33-year-old Kazakhstani fights out of Tiger Muay Thai and operates out of a switch stance, standing five-foot-eight with a 71-inch reach. He averages 4.71 significant strikes landed per minute at 52 percent accuracy, and the bout represents a chance to rebound and re-establish himself in the upper tier of a crowded 155-pound division.

Michel Pereira
Michel Pereira

Torres, nicknamed "El Loco," brings a 5-1 UFC record and an overall professional mark of 17-4-0 into the contest. The 31-year-old Mexican out of Entram Gym is one of the more explosive strikers in the division, landing an impressive 7.29 significant strikes per minute at 59 percent accuracy — numbers that rank among the best in the lightweight class. The five-foot-ten switch-stance fighter also adds a takedown threat, averaging 1.72 per fifteen minutes, giving him a well-rounded offensive profile.

Rafael Fiziev
Rafael Fiziev

Why it matters

  • Fiziev's ranking means a victory for Torres would thrust him directly into the lightweight top ten and potentially top-five contention.
  • A win for Fiziev at seventh in the division keeps him on a path toward a title eliminator.
  • The contrasting styles — Fiziev's technical Muay Thai base against Torres's high-volume, aggressive striking — sets up a legitimate firefight.
  • The co-main event of Shara Bullet versus Michel Pereira adds additional weight to the card, with Pereira ranked fifteenth at middleweight and carrying a 32-15-0 record at 32 years old.
Published by AgentMMA

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