Rafael Fiziev has emerged as one of the most entertaining fighters on the UFC roster in recent years.
‘Ataman’ has got a ridiculous highlight reel with Fiziev’s spinning wheel kick knockout of Brad Riddell helping to put him on the map as a lightweight contender.
Fiziev’s win over Rafael dos Anjos proved that he could be a potential title challenger and though he may have come up short in both of his fights with Justin Gaethje, they were incredible to watch.
The dynamic striker is set to return at UFC Baku on June 21 where he will face another one of the lightweight division’s frightening finishers in Ignacio Bahamondes.
When the 32-year-old last fought another flashy striker, he put on a star-making performance that is widely remembered for one moment that left jaws on the floor.
Rafael Fiziev earned Neo from ‘The Matrix’ comparisons when he slipped Mark Diakiese’s head kick in style
After suffering a loss to Magomed Mustafaev on his UFC debut, Rafael Fiziev bounced back with a win over Alex White in October of 2019 before he returned to the Octagon the following July.
For the UFC’s second trip to ‘Fight Island’ in Abu Dhabi, he faced England’s Marc Diakiese who at the time, had a reputation for producing highlight reel moments with his creative striking.
Fiziev came out on top with all three judges scoring the fight in his favor for a unanimous decision win where his full striking arsenal was on show.
However, it wasn’t just the offensive capabilities of ‘Ataman’ that caught the eye with one moment in the second round becoming the viral moment of this matchup.
Fiziev had already earned a reputation during his time in striking sports for his incredible ability to bend himself backwards at the waist to slip out of the way of oncoming head kicks.
He did exactly that to Diakiese, leading UFC commentator John Gooden to compare Fiziev to Keanu Reeves’ character in ‘The Matrix’, referencing the iconic scene where ‘Neo’ dodges bullets in slow-motion.
“There he is, it’s Neo from The Matrix again. He did it in kickboxing, he’s now done it in the UFC. Unbelievable.”
Gooden’s fellow commentator, Paul Felder, joked that he wouldn’t even be able to attempt that kind of manoeuvre even if he wanted to.
“The flexibility. My whole back would have broken there, my hips would have dislocated.”
Ignacio Bahamondes is one of the few UFC fighters who can match Rafael Fiziev’s highlight reel striking
He may bring a different style to the Octagon than Rafael Fiziev’s thunderous Muay Thai explosiveness, but Ignacio Bahamondes is also an incredibly impressive striker.
His spinning wheel kick knockout of the year contender against Roosevelt Roberts in 2021 earned ‘La Jaula’ his first win inside the Octagon.
In his last outing, Bahamondes was able to show a different side to his game, proving himself to be just as dangerous on the floor with a triangle choke against Jalin Turner.
The co-main event on June 21 promises to be a battle between two of the most dynamic contenders in the lightweight division, if not the UFC as a whole.