MSB Fight Club: UFC Baku Recap: Rafael Fiziev Delivers a Statement Knockout in Front of His Home Crowd

MSB Fight Club

There are big wins, and then there are career-defining moments.

Saturday night in Baku, Azerbaijan, Rafael Fiziev delivered one of the most memorable performances of his UFC career, knocking out Manuel Torres just 15 seconds into the second round with a devastating spinning wheel kick before finishing the fight with ground-and-pound. It was a highlight that immediately entered the conversation for Knockout of the Year and reignited Fiziev’s climb back toward title contention.

The card, the UFC’s return to Azerbaijan, was loaded with finishes. Nine of the event’s bouts ended before the judges were needed, showcasing everything from rare submissions to lightning-fast knockouts. By night’s end, fans had witnessed one of the most entertaining Fight Night cards of 2026.

Main Event

Rafael Fiziev def. Manuel Torres

TKO (Spinning Wheel Kick and Punches) – Round 2, 0:15

Coming into the fight, Fiziev desperately needed a victory.

After facing a gauntlet of elite lightweight competition over the past few years, questions surrounded whether “Ataman” could still compete among the division’s best. Fighting in front of a hometown crowd provided extra motivation, and Fiziev responded with arguably the best finish of his UFC career.

The opening round was competitive. Torres pressured forward with combinations while Fiziev mixed in crisp counters, effective movement, and even a pair of takedowns that slowed the Mexican striker’s offense. Neither man appeared close to finishing the fight after five minutes, setting up what looked like another closely contested round.

Instead, the fight lasted only 15 more seconds.

As Torres stepped forward, Fiziev exploded into a perfectly timed spinning wheel kick that landed flush on the jaw. Torres collapsed instantly. Fiziev followed with several unanswered punches before the referee stepped in.

The sold-out arena erupted as Fiziev celebrated one of the biggest wins of his career. The victory snapped his recent skid, improved his record to 14-5, and immediately put his name back into discussions among the UFC’s top lightweight contenders. Following the fight, Fiziev even called for a future BMF title opportunity.

Co-Main Event

Shara Magomedov def. Michel Pereira

Unanimous Decision

The co-main event wasn’t nearly as explosive but featured high-level striking throughout three rounds.

Magomedov used his length and precision to consistently outpoint Pereira. Pereira had moments of success and attempted to increase the pace late, but Magomedov’s technical striking, distance management, and activity proved enough to earn a unanimous decision.

The fight generated controversy afterward as Pereira expressed frustration with several officiating decisions, but the judges all agreed Magomedov had done enough to earn the victory.

Main Card Highlights

Matheus Camilo shocks Nazim Sadykhov

One of the biggest surprises came when rising Brazilian prospect Matheus Camilo stopped hometown favorite Nazim Sadykhov in just 91 seconds.

Camilo weathered an early exchange before landing a perfectly placed combination that produced one of the evening’s quickest stoppages. It instantly became the biggest victory of his young UFC career.

Asu Almabayev records one of the rarest submissions in UFC history

Flyweight contender Asu Almabayev continued his climb up the rankings by submitting Charles Johnson with the incredibly rare Suloev Stretch.

The submission has only been seen a handful of times in UFC history and showcased Almabayev’s elite grappling ability. Beyond the rarity of the finish, Almabayev controlled much of the fight from start to finish, further strengthening his case as a legitimate contender at 125 pounds.

Abus Magomedov bounces back

Middleweight veteran Abus Magomedov earned an impressive submission victory over Michal Oleksiejczuk, using his grappling advantage to finish the fight early and keep himself relevant in the crowded middleweight division.

Kaan Ofli stays unbeaten in the UFC

Featherweight Kaan Ofli secured an arm-triangle choke submission over Javier Reyes, adding yet another finish to an action-packed evening.

Preliminary Card Delivers Fireworks

The prelims nearly stole the show.

The biggest highlight belonged to undefeated prospect Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev, who flattened Julius Walker in only eight seconds. It was one of the fastest knockouts of 2026 and earned one of the night’s $100,000 Performance Bonuses.

Elsewhere:

• Daniil Donchenko earned a vicious head-kick TKO over Theodor Berggren.
• Nursulton Ruziboev picked up a first-round technical submission.
• Jean Matsumoto won a hard-fought unanimous decision.

$100,000 Performance Bonuses

The UFC continued its new 2026 bonus structure by awarding four Performance of the Night bonuses worth $100,000 each:

• Rafael Fiziev
• Asu Almabayev
• Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev
• Daniil Donchenko

With no Fight of the Night bonus awarded, additional finish bonuses were distributed to other fighters who earned stoppage victories.

Biggest Winners

Rafael Fiziev: Needed a signature win and delivered perhaps the knockout of the year.

Asu Almabayev: Continues building momentum in the flyweight division with a historic submission.

Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev: Eight-second knockout performances immediately attract attention.

Matheus Camilo: Scored the biggest upset on the card and dramatically raised his profile.

Biggest Losers

Manuel Torres: Entered looking to break into lightweight contention but instead suffered one of the most devastating knockouts of his career.

Nazim Sadykhov: The hometown favorite was unable to capitalize on the moment and now faces questions after consecutive setbacks.

Final Thoughts

UFC Baku exceeded expectations from top to bottom. Between nine finishes, multiple highlight-reel knockouts, a rare submission, and one of the loudest crowd reactions of the year, the promotion’s return to Azerbaijan could not have gone much better.

For Fiziev, the night represented redemption. Fighting before family, friends, and thousands of passionate supporters, he reminded the MMA world why he has long been considered one of the most dangerous strikers in the sport. If the UFC chooses to match him against another ranked lightweight next, Saturday’s performance suggests he could quickly work his way back into championship conversations.

For MSB Fight Club, UFC Baku served as another reminder that Fight Night cards often produce some of the year’s most memorable moments. While championship events receive most of the attention, Saturday’s show delivered everything fans could want—violent finishes, breakout performances, emotional victories, and one spectacular knockout that will be replayed for years to come.