Rafael Fiziev rejects label as product of Kyrgyz MMA, praises Rajabali as a phenomenon

UFC lightweight Rafael Fiziev has stated he does not consider himself a product of Kyrgyzstan's martial arts system, saying he is self-made. He also distanced Valentina Shevchenko from that label, noting she trained in Kyrgyzstan for only five or six years before developing internationally under coach Pavel Fedotov. Fiziev praised Rajabali as a unique world-class phenomenon, comparing him to fighters like Islam Makhachev, Khabib, Jon Jones, and Justin Gaethje as athletes who possess a rare innate quality.