Rafael Fiziev picked up another post-fight bonus after finishing his opponent with a spinning back kick, his second such knockout in the UFC following previous stoppages of Jared Gordon and Joaquin Buckley. Fighting with double vision after absorbing a jab in the first round, Fiziev chose to throw the spinning technique in round two and found a decisive finish. Following the victory, he called out the BMF title.
Rafael Fiziev picked up another highlight-reel finish and a post-fight bonus, stopping his opponent with a spinning back kick in round two to extend his knockout streak inside the UFC octagon.
Fiziev, 33, enters the record books with a second spinning back kick knockout in the promotion, having previously stopped Jared Gordon and Joaquin Buckley by similar means. The Kazakhstani striker, who fights out of Tiger Muay Thai, carried the added drama of having sustained double vision from a jab in the first round before choosing to uncork the spinning technique anyway. The gamble paid off with a decisive finish. Following the victory, Fiziev called out the BMF title, positioning himself as a candidate for that recognition heading deeper into 2026.
Now ranked seventh in the UFC lightweight division with a professional record of 14-5-0, Fiziev is one of the more dangerous strikers at 155 pounds. Fighting out of a switch stance at five-foot-eight with a 71-inch reach, he averages 4.71 significant strikes landed per minute at a 52 percent striking accuracy clip — numbers that reflect both his volume and his efficiency. Takedown activity is minimal at 0.83 per 15 minutes, and he registers no submission attempts per 15 minutes, underscoring that his path to victory runs almost exclusively through striking.
Why it matters
- A second spinning back kick knockout in the UFC cements Fiziev as one of the division's most unorthodox and dangerous finishers.
- His call-out of the BMF title could shape lightweight matchmaking in the second half of 2026.
- At seventh in the rankings, a high-profile BMF bout would likely push him toward the top five and into title contention conversation.
- The ability to finish a fight while dealing with double vision demonstrates elite composure under pressure, which scouts and matchmakers are unlikely to overlook.
