Rafael Fiziev rejects label as product of Kyrgyz MMA school, calls himself self-made

Rafael Fiziev has pushed back against being described as a product of Kyrgyz martial arts, stating he considers himself self-made. He also argued that Valentina Shevchenko, who trained in Kyrgyzstan for only five to six years before moving abroad, should not be classified that way either. Fiziev spoke positively about fighters like Razhababali and Orolbai, calling them phenomena, while also praising Justin Gaethje, Islam Makhachev, Khabib, and Jon Jones as fighters gifted with something special.