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.
Rafael Fiziev has pushed back against the idea that he owes his fighting career to the Kyrgyz combat sports system, declaring himself self-made in a recent interview.
Fiziev extended that argument to Valentina Shevchenko as well, contending that the reigning UFC women's flyweight champion should not be considered a product of Kyrgyzstan's martial arts infrastructure either. Shevchenko, he noted, trained in the country for only five or six years before relocating abroad to continue her development. The 38-year-old southpaw holds a 26-4-1 professional record and has established herself as one of the most technically refined champions in the sport, landing 3.14 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Rather than crediting any national system, Fiziev pointed to a pair of rising Kyrgyz fighters — Rajabali and Orolbai — as the genuine representatives of homegrown talent, calling them phenomena in their own right. He reserved particular praise for Rajabali, citing his perfect finishing record as evidence of something exceptional.
Fiziev also used the conversation to highlight fighters he views as possessing a rare, innate gift. He listed Justin Gaethje, Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Jon Jones among those he considers special. Khabib, the undefeated Russian legend who retired at 29-0, averaged an extraordinary 5.32 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career. Jones, meanwhile, carries a 28-1-0 record and lands significant strikes at 58 percent accuracy — the highest of the group Fiziev named — with a six-foot-four frame and an 84-inch reach underpinning his physical dominance.
Why it matters
- Fiziev's comments reframe the narrative around Central Asian MMA, separating individual achievement from institutional credit
- His defense of Shevchenko's legacy adds nuance to how the sport attributes fighter development to regional systems
- Spotlighting Rajabali's 100-percent finishing rate draws wider attention to emerging Kyrgyz talent on the global stage
