Rafael Fiziev stopped Manuel Torres via TKO at UFC Baku, finishing the fight with a head kick and follow-up punches just 15 seconds into the second round.
Rafael Fiziev wasted little time in UFC Baku, stopping Manuel Torres via TKO just 15 seconds into the second round with a devastating head kick followed by a flurry of punches.
Fiziev, nicknamed "Ataman," improved to 14-5 with the finish. The 33-year-old Kazakhstani trains out of Tiger Muay Thai and competes at lightweight, where he currently holds the number seven ranking. Fighting out of a switch stance, Fiziev lands 4.71 significant strikes per minute at a 52 percent accuracy rate, and the finish in Baku was a sharp reminder of the knockout power he carries in his legs and hands.
Torres, known as "El Loco," falls to 17-4 with the loss. The 31-year-old Mexican out of Entram Gym had come in as one of the more active and accurate strikers in the division, averaging an impressive 7.29 significant strikes per minute at 59 percent accuracy. He also contributed on the grappling side, averaging 1.72 takedowns per 15 minutes. Despite that well-rounded profile, he was unable to survive the early second-round assault.
Why it matters
- Fiziev's win at number seven in the lightweight rankings keeps him in the conversation for a top-five matchup.
- The finish — a head kick at the start of round two — underlines the danger Fiziev poses even when a fight moves past the first frame.
- Torres absorbed the loss despite carrying superior striking volume statistics, highlighting how quickly the lightweight division can turn on a single exchange.
- Both fighters work from a switch stance, making the stylistic matchup competitive on paper, which adds weight to how cleanly Fiziev executed the finish.
