Rafael Fiziev was the primary fighter from Azerbaijan to compete within the UFC and he returned residence with a powerful win within the UFC Baku co-main occasion.
To get the job executed, Fiziev needed to decelerate a streaking Ignacio Bahamondes, who appeared higher and higher throughout his latest wins however he ran right into a brick wall on Saturday. Over three rounds, Fiziev showcased a robust putting and grappling arsenal that repeatedly stored Bahamondes off steadiness.
When it was over, all three judges scored the struggle 30-27 as Fiziev will get the win and likewise places an finish to his latest three-fight shedding streak.
“It was an excellent struggle,” Fiziev stated after getting his hand raised. “I can not lose in my residence. I can not lose in entrance of my folks. Azerbaijan deserves to be blissful. These folks need to be blissful. These folks deserve that and I’m blissful to characterize my homeland.”
With Bahamondes seeking to function from the skin, Fiziev was simply biding his time to shut the gap and unleash his greatest strikes. Fiziev’s velocity and energy had been protecting Bahamondes from actually committing to any aggressive combos because the lightweights had been each being cautious to not overextend themselves.
Late within the opening spherical, Fiziev linked together with his greatest punch after clipping Bahamondes with a robust left hand that instantly acquired the gang’s consideration.
Bahomondes turned to his wrestling within the second, though he wasn’t in a position to get Fiziev to the bottom. That did make Fiziev play protection and Bahamondes began displaying just a little extra confidence in his strikes as he began mixing up his kicks and punches.
That led to a few takedowns from Fiziev with Bahamondes briefly searching for a guillotine choke as a counter however finally the lightweights acquired again to the toes once more.
With 5 minutes remaining, Bahamondes acquired busier and began discovering a house for extra of his punches however Fiziev was fast to counter with some highly effective combos of his personal. Fiziev was constantly connecting with the more durable photographs and Bahomondes simply wasn’t in a position to match him regardless of his greatest efforts.
A closing scramble on the bottom noticed Fiziev drop a number of extra hammers and Bahamondes really slicing him open with an elbow nevertheless it was simply too little too late to make the comeback.
Whereas he was coming into the struggle off three straight losses, Fiziev misplaced a type of because of damage after which took a short-notice rematch in opposition to Justin Gaethje. Now again on observe, Fiziev ought to stay a risk to anyone and anyone within the light-weight rankings.
