Fiziev Rejects Label as Product of Kyrgyz MMA, Praises Razhabali as a Phenomenon

Rafael Fiziev has distanced himself from being called a product of the Kyrgyz martial arts school, stating he considers himself self-made and does not identify with the country given the criticism he receives from its fans. Fiziev also declined to attribute Valentina Shevchenko's success to Kyrgyz coaching, crediting her development to trainer Pavel Fedotov and her years of international training. He did, however, lavish praise on Kyrgyz fighters Razhabali and Orolbai, calling Razhabali a once-in-a-generation phenomenon alongside names like Islam Makhachev, Khabib, and Justin Gaethje.