Two weeks before Rafael Fiziev stepped into the Octagon in Baku, he was watching Justin Gaethje at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. Fighting as an underdog against the undisputed lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria, Gaethje dismantled him to become the new lightweight king.
For Fiziev, who was already prepared mentally for UFC Baku’s main event against Manuel Torres, that demolishing performance landed like a right hand to the soul. A man who had handed him one of the most painful losses of his career had just become the UFC’s undisputed lightweight champion. Instead of bitterness, Fiziev found inspiration from the blockbuster show.
Rafael Fiziev Credits Justin Gaethje’s Title Win for Restoring His Self-Belief Before UFC Baku
The history between Fiziev and Gaethje is quite deep. Fiziev is 0-2 against Gaethje, losing two brutal decisions that proved how durable “The Highlight” really is. Before UFC Baku main event, Fiziev was in a very bad spot after losing four of his last five fights, including a brutal TKO loss to Mauricio Ruffy in January that left everyone questioning his future as a top contender.
But watching Gaethje dismantle Topuria changed everything for him. Topuria had looked unstoppable, fresh off his historic knockout of Alexander Volkanovski and a legendary title defense over Max Holloway. Seeing Gaethje break the champion completely reset Fiziev’s mindset.
The Azerbaijani lightweight admitted in his emotional post-fight interview, saying, “Justin, you have no idea how much you motivated me. After your performance against Topuria, you made me believe in myself again… I didn’t know how to believe in myself anymore. That guy went out there and made me happy.”
#UFCBaku Rafael Fiziev says Justin Gaethje’s win over Ilia Topuria helped him regain his confidence:
“Justin, you have no idea how much you motivated me. After your performance against Topuria, you made me believe in myself again… I didn’t know how to believe in myself… pic.twitter.com/CATHG8slTZ
— The Fight Fanatic (@FightFanatic_) June 27, 2026
Just to recap, Gaethje himself had been widely dismissed as past his peak heading into the Topuria fight. But he executed a four-round masterclass, outboxed a two-division champion, and forced a corner stoppage in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history.
Rafael Fiziev’s Baku KO Proves the Motivation Was Real
Fiziev stopped Manuel Torres in the second round with a spinning wheel kick, beating a strong opponent known for 17 first-round finishes. Remarkably, the 33-year-old fought through double vision after absorbing a hard jab in the opening round.
He will likely need a medical checkup soon, but he has already chosen his next target. During his post-fight interview, Fiziev immediately called for a BMF title shot.
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The lightweight division is now filled with top-tier contenders like Gaethje, Arman Tsarukyan, Renato Moicano and so on. Fiziev’s two undefeated hometown victories have reestablished his position in the competition.
Occasionally, a rival’s success can provide the exact spark needed to rebuild a career. But it remains to be seen how long Fiziev will transform it into a success.
