Rafael Fiziev will face Manuel Torres in the main event of a UFC card scheduled for Baku on June 27. The co-main event will feature Shara Bullet against Michel Pereira. Both matchups promise high-level striking and action. Details are limited beyond the announcement of these two featured bouts. The card represents the UFC's continued expansion into new markets with a showcase event in Azerbaijan.
Rafael Fiziev and Manuel Torres are set to clash in the main event of UFC Baku on June 27, with the promotion heading to Azerbaijan for what shapes up as an action-packed card anchored by two high-octane striking matchups.
Torres, nicknamed "El Loco," carries a 17-4 record into the fight and enters as one of the most prolific volume strikers in the lightweight division. The 31-year-old Mexican southpaw-and-switch hitter out of Entram Gym lands an eye-catching 7.29 significant strikes per minute at 59 percent accuracy, and also mixes in 1.72 takedown attempts per 15 minutes, making him a multidimensional threat capable of finding finishes in several ways.
The co-main event pits Shara "Bullet" Magomedov against Michel Pereira in a middleweight bout that could rival the headliner for entertainment value. Magomedov, the 32-year-old Russian out of Gorets Fight Club, holds a 17-1 record and is regarded as one of the most dangerous strikers in the division, landing 5.93 significant strikes per minute at a remarkable 62 percent accuracy. Standing six-foot-two with a 73-inch reach, the orthodox standout relies almost entirely on his hands and feet, recording no takedown or submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Pereira, known as "Demolidor," brings a 32-15 record and ranks fifteenth in the middleweight division. The 32-year-old Brazilian out of Overcome Academy stands six-foot-one and shares that same 73-inch reach as his opponent. He lands 4.46 significant strikes per minute and also shows willingness to mix levels with 1.21 takedowns and 0.7 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Fiziev vs. Torres places two of the lightweight division's most explosive finishers opposite each other in a fight with serious ranking implications
- Magomedov vs. Pereira is a clash of creative, unorthodox strikers that could move Bullet closer to title contention with a statement win
- UFC Baku marks the promotion's continued push into new international markets, using Azerbaijan as a platform to grow its global footprint
