Rafael Fiziev has stated that he considers himself self-made and does not identify as a product of the Kyrgyz martial arts system, adding that he holds the same view about Valentina Shevchenko. Fiziev praised fellow fighters Razhabali and Orolbai as phenomena, singling out Razhabali — who holds 100 percent finishes — as uniquely gifted, comparing his level to fighters like Islam Makhachev, Khabib, and Jon Jones.
Rafael Fiziev has spoken out about his martial arts identity, distancing himself from the notion that he is a product of the Kyrgyz MMA system and extending that same view to Valentina Shevchenko. The comments came in a recent interview and sparked discussion around the broader legacy of Central Asian combat sports.
Fiziev, the hard-hitting lightweight contender, described himself as self-made rather than a product of any national school. He also applied that framing to Shevchenko, the reigning Women's Flyweight champion who holds a record of 26-4-1 and fights out of Tiger Muay Thai. At 38, the Kyrgyzstan-born southpaw remains one of the most technically refined fighters in the sport, landing 3.14 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy while also averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
In the same interview, Fiziev went out of his way to praise two fighters he did see as genuine phenomena: Razhabali and Orolbai. He singled out Razhabali in particular, noting that the fighter boasts a 100 percent finishing rate and possesses a level of natural talent he compared to that of Islam Makhachev, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Jon Jones.
Makhachev, now competing at Welterweight and holding a 28-1-0 record, is the reigning champion in that division and ranked first pound-for-pound. The 34-year-old Russian is known for dominant grappling, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes while also posting 58 percent striking accuracy.
Why it matters
- Fiziev's comments reframe the narrative around Kyrgyz MMA, separating individual excellence from systemic development
- Praising Razhabali alongside names like Makhachev and Jon Jones sets high expectations for a fighter who remains relatively unknown internationally
- The remarks add nuance to how elite fighters from Central Asia credit — or decline to credit — their regional martial arts cultures
