A huge Lightweight bout could be in the UFC’s matchmaking plans in their near future.
Following his 5th round TKO win over Rafael Dos Anjos, Rafael Fiziev put the division of lightweights on notice in his post-fight interview.
The main challenge Fiziev wants next is Justin Gaethje, the #3 ranked Lightweight in the division who he feels could make his face look nearly identical like his battle vs. Dos Anjos.
“Yeah, you know I want to fight with Gaethje,” Fiziev told reporters at the UFC on ESPN 39 post-fight news conference. “… Gaethje, if you want to fight, one more yellow guy with yellow hairs (Charles Oliveira), we need to know who’s best. That’s a good match for you and me. If you’re ready, and you’re not scared, don’t talk sh*t and let’s go.”
“I think he would maybe make my face like this, maybe more hard,” Fiziev said as he pointed to his battered face. “He’s dangerous also and a big challenge for me. I think he has a lot of chance to knock me out, and I have a lot of chance to knock him out. That’s a good fight, I think, for fans also.”
Fiziev’s last 5 have ended with a bonus, since losing in 2019 to Magomed Mustafaev in his UFC debut. The Kyrgyz fighter has stacked performance bonus vs. Marc Diakiese, Renato Moicano, Bobby Green, Brad Riddell, Dos Anjos and now adding Gaethje to that list looks to be the goal for Fiziev.
Gaethje is 6-4 since joining the UFC, only one fight has gone the distance vs. Michael Chandler. being named the interim UFC Lightweight title holder in 2020 after being the first man to finish Tony Ferguson.
Gaethje lost two lightweight championship bouts vs. the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira in 2020 and 2022.
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