Rafael Fiziev rejects label as product of Kyrgyz martial arts system

Rafael Fiziev has rejected the notion that he is a product of the Kyrgyz combat sports school, stating he is self-made. He also argued that Valentina Shevchenko, who trained in Kyrgyzstan for five or six years before moving abroad, should not be considered a product of that system either. Fiziev praised rising Kyrgyz fighters Rajabali and Orolbai as genuine phenomena, singling out Rajabali for his 100-percent finishing record, while also lauding Justin Gaethje, Islam Makhachev, Khabib, and Jon Jones as fighters with a special gift.