Rafael Fiziev – Page 10 – Syndication Server

UFC on ESPN+ 30 predictions: Can Joseph Benavidez top Deiveson Figueiredo in rematch?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN+ 30 main card in Abu Dhabi.

	Figueiredo vs. Benavidez	Gastelum vs. Hermansson	Diakiese vs. Fiziev	Carolina vs. Lipski	Askarov vs. Pantoja
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 2020: 60-36	Figueiredo (58%)	Gastelum (57%)	Diakiese (78%)	Lipski (51%)	Pantoja (71%)
Dan Tom @DanTomMMA 2020: 78-28	Benavidez	Gastelum	Diakiese	Lipski	Pantoja
Nolan King @mma_kings 2020: 78-28	Figueiredo	Hermansson	Diakiese	Lipski	Pantoja
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 2020: 77-29	Figueiredo	Hermansson	Diakiese	Lipski	Pantoja
Mike Bohn @MikeBohnMMA 2020: 75-31 2014 Champion	Benavidez	Gastelum	Diakiese	Lipski	Pantoja
Simon Samano @SJSamano 2020: 74-32	Benavidez	Gastelum	Diakiese	Carolina	Askarov
Simon Head @simonhead 2020: 73-33 2019 Champion*	Benavidez	Gastelum	Diakiese	Lipski	Askarov
Brian Garcia @thegoze 2020: 72-34 2017 Champion	Benavidez	Gastelum	Diakiese	Carolina	Askarov
Dave Doyle @davedoylemma 2020: 70-36	Benavidez	Hermansson	Diakiese	Lipski	Pantoja
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 2020: 70-36	Figueiredo	Gastelum	Diakiese	Lipski	Pantoja
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 2020: 70-36 2018 Champion	Benavidez	Hermansson	Diakiese	Lipski	Askarov
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 2020: 67-39	Benavidez	Gastelum	Diakiese	Carolina	Pantoja
John Morgan @MMAjunkieJohn 2020: 67-39	Benavidez	Gastelum	Diakiese	Lipski	Pantoja
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 2020: 65-41	Benavidez	Gastelum	Diakiese	Lipski	Askarov
Matt Erickson @MMAjunkieMatt 2020: 41-65	Benavidez	Hermansson	Fiziev	Lipski	Askarov

The UFC’s third of four straight events on “Fight Island” in Abu Dhabi goes down Saturday with a vacant flyweight title fight getting a redo in the main event.

UFC on ESPN+ 30 takes place Saturday at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The card streams on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) takes on [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) in a rematch for the vacant 125-pound title. Figueiredo knocked out Benavidez in February, but was not eligible to win the title because he missed weight. But Friday, he hit the title-fight limit on the scale. He’s more than a 2-1 favorite, but it’s the underdog, Benavidez, with a big 11-3 lead in the picks from our 14 editors, writers, videographers and radio hosts.

In the co-main event, [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] (16-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) meets [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) in a middleweight bout. The fight is a pick’em with the oddsmakers, but Gastelum has a sizable 9-5 lead from our pickers.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag] (14-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) is a -160 favorite in his lightweight fight against [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), and he’s the closest thing we have to a unanimous pick with 13 of 14 of our staff members taking him to win.

[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag] (6-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) takes on [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag] (12-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) in a women’s flyweight fight that has Lipski as just a slight favorite. But she’s a heavy favorite in the picks at 11-3.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (22-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is more than a 2-1 favorite against [autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag] (11-0-1 MMA, 1-0-1 UFC) at flyweight. He’s hoping to get the next title shot with a win, but he’s got just an 8-6 picks lead.

In the MMA Junkie reader consensus picks, Figueiredo (58 percent), Gastelum (57 percent), Diakiese (78 percent), Lipski (51 percent) and Pantoja (71 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

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Marc Diakiese: Rafael Fiziev perfect foe to gauge how I’ll do against ranked opposition

“I do feel I’m ready for rankings, but he’s a perfect opponent for me to really find out how I can do in the rankings.”

ABU DHABI – For [autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag], UFC on ESPN+ 30 is an opportunity to see where he stands in the lightweight division.

Diakiese (14-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) faces [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] this Saturday at Yas Island, looking to make it three wins in a row.

After dropping three straight, the once highly-touted prospect Diakiese was able to turn things around by picking up back-to-back wins over Joseph Duffy and, most recently, Lando Vannata last September in Copenhagen.

His matchup with Fiziev (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) pits two of the most entertaining strikers in the lightweight division, and Diakiese is ready to prove that he belongs in the top-15.

“I’ve had like three opponents; I just wanted to fight,” Diakiese told MMA Junkie and other reporters Thursday. “When I seen this guy, he brings heat. He comes to fight, and that’s the kind of fights I want now, just to test myself, to know where I’m at before I start to enter these rankings because I do feel I’m ready for rankings, but he’s a perfect opponent for me to really find out how I can do in the rankings.”

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Diakiese has traveled around the world to get different looks in training, but ultimately found a recipe for success back home in the U.K., where he was able to get a lot more individual attention.

“Just my mindset and coming back home,” Diakiese said on his recent success. “Be more organized than I was. I’ve come back, I’ve really set my team together, it’s all about me and each coach, individual got input in my team so I feel that’s what I needed.

“Because before, I felt I was just going out there and fighting obviously without a brain to be honest. I felt a bit stupid because I had no game plan, just going in and being crazy which I feel when I go out now, I’ve got a game plan and try and implement it nicely.”

To hear more from Diakiese, check out the video above.

UFC on ESPN+ 30 takes place at Flash Forum. The night’s main card streams live on ESPN+ following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

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MMA Junkie reader predictions: Make your picks for UFC on ESPN+ 30: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez

We want your predictions for Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 30 event in Abu Dhabi.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC on ESPN+ 30 event staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC on ESPN+ 30 takes place Saturday at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The card streams on ESPN+.

Make your picks for all five main card fights inside:

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Brits are back: 5 matchups to follow as U.K. fighters take over UFC ‘Fight Island’

MMA Junkie’s resident Brit, Simon Head, takes a look at five key matchups involving U.K.-based fighters on the UFC’s “Fight Island.”

The launch of the UFC’s “Fight Island” events in Abu Dhabi next month marks the moment for a group of fighters from the international roster to return to action.

That group includes a host of U.K.-based fighters who, up to now, have been in MMA exile while international travel restrictions keep them from traveling to the U.S. to compete.

The advent of “Fight Island” and the UFC’s detailed travel regimen for fighters jetting into Abu Dhabi have opened the door for some of the promotion’s most exciting fighters from the U.K. to return to action.

Ahead of the UFC’s four-event run on Yas Island, here are five fights to keep an eye on that feature returning U.K. fighters.

Without further ado …

****

Molly McCann vs. Talia Santos, July 15

There’s been something special about some of the matchups we’ve seen during the UFC’s lockdown era so far, and you can bet your last dollar (or British pound) that [autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag] will look to add to that growing list of memorable fights.

McCann (10-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC) arrived in the UFC as the Cage Warriors women’s flyweight champion, but was submitted by Gillian Robertson on her debut in her hometown of Liverpool. But since that defeat McCann has bounced back superbly with a trio of unanimous decision victories over Priscilla Cachoeira, Ariane Lipski and Diana Belbita.

“Meatball” is getting better with every fight, and will be keen to show her latest improvements against Contender Series graduate [autotag]Talia Santos[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who is bidding to claim her maiden UFC victory after suffering her first career defeat on her UFC debut against Mara Romero Borella.

The fight represents the toughest assignment of McCann’s UFC career since her debut, but a fourth straight win for the energetic Evertonian will push the 30-year-old toward the division’s big names later in 2020.

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Next up: Striking aces get ready to throw down

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UFC announces full ‘Fight Island’ lineup, includes 47 bouts in 15 days

“Fight Island” is real, and now the four cards that will take place there are real, as well.

UFC president Dana White today announced the complete lineup for the four cards that will take place next month in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The unique setup has been necessitated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has made it difficult to get international fighters into the U.S. to compete.

“I think this is going to be a really unique experience, not just for the fighters, but for us,” UFC president Dana White said during the announcement. “It’s going to be cool. It’s going to be something different. It’s never been done before, and however long this thing goes on, and however long it’s hard to get people in from other countries, we will have these fights at ‘Fight Island’ – Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.”

First up, it’s UFC 251 on July 11, which features a trio of title fights.

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

Champ [autotag]Kamaru Usman[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Gilbert Burns[/autotag] – for welterweight title
Champ [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Max Holloway[/autotag] – for featherweight title
[autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] – for vacant bantamweight title
[autotag]Jessica Andrade[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag]
[autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

[autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag]
[autotag]Muslim Salikhov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos[/autotag]
[autotag]Makwan Amirkhani[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Danny Henry[/autotag]
[autotag]Roman Bogatov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Leonardo Santos[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 6:15 p.m. ET)

[autotag]Alexander Romanov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]
[autotag]Raulian Paiva[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Zhalgas Zhumagulov[/autotag]
[autotag]Vanessa Melo[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Karol Rosa[/autotag]
[autotag]Martin Day[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Davey Grant[/autotag]

The promotion then returns on July 15 with an event headlined by featherweight contenders [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] (21-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and [autotag]Dan Ige[/autotag] (14-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC).

The complete lineup includes:

MAIN CARD (10 p.m. ET)

Calvin Kattar vs. Dan Ige
[autotag]Frankie Edgar[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag]
[autotag]Carla Esparza[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Marina Rodriguez[/autotag]
[autotag]Abdul Razak Alhassan[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Mounir Lazzez[/autotag]
[autotag]Chris Fishgold[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jared Gordon[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY (7 p.m. ET)

[autotag]Modestas Bukauskas[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Vinicius Moreira[/autotag]
[autotag]Molly McCann[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag]
[autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ricardo Ramos[/autotag]
[autotag]John Phillips[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Dusko Todorovic[/autotag]
[autotag]Ryan Benoit[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tim Elliott[/autotag]
[autotag]Diana Belbita[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Liana Jojua[/autotag]

Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figueiredo

Three days later, on July 18, the promotion hosts its third card in eight days, when top flyweight contenders [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] (18-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and [autotag]Joseph Benavidez[/autotag] (28-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) meet for a second time with the vacant UFC flyweight title on the line.

The full card includes:

MAIN CARD (9 p.m. ET)

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez – for vacant flyweight title
[autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jack Hermansson[/autotag]
[autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]
[autotag]Luana Carolina[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ariane Lipski[/autotag]
[autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD (6 p.m. ET)

[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Khadis Ibragimov[/autotag]
[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Nad Narimani[/autotag]
[autotag]Joel Alvarez[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Joe Duffy[/autotag]
[autotag]Montel Jackson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Brett Johns[/autotag]
[autotag]Aleksander Doskalchuk[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Tagir Ulanbekov[/autotag]
[autotag]Davi Ramos[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Arman Tsarukyan[/autotag]
[autotag]Carlos Felipe[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Serghei Spivac[/autotag]

Finally, the UFC’s run in Abu Dhabi ends on July 25 with a much-anticipated middleweight contest between former champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] (20-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) and former welterweight title challenger [autotag]Darren Till[/autotag] (18-2-1 MMA, 6-2-1 UFC).

That night’s full lineup includes:

MAIN CARD

Robert Whittaker vs. Darren Till
[autotag]Antonio Rogerio Nogueira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Mauricio Rua[/autotag]
[autotag]Alex Oliveira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Peter Sobotta[/autotag]
[autotag]Alexander Gustafsson[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Fabricio Werdum[/autotag]
[autotag]Nicolas Dalby[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Danny Roberts[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jake Collier[/autotag]
[autotag]Raphael Pessoa[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Justin Tafa[/autotag]
[autotag]Movsar Evloev[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Mike Grundy[/autotag]
[autotag]Bethe Correia[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Pannie Kianzad[/autotag]
[autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Nathaniel Wood[/autotag]
[autotag]Ramazan Emeev[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Shavkat Rakhmonov[/autotag]

With Alan Patrick out, UFC targets Rafael Fiziev vs. Marc Diakiese for July 18

Marc Diakiese has a new opponent for “Fight Island.”

[autotag]Marc Diakiese[/autotag] has a new opponent for July 18.

As quickly as his UFC “Fight Island” matchup against [autotag]Alan Patrick[/autotag] appeared, it was gone. Three days after news broke Diakiese (14-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) would be fighting, his opponent Patrick was replaced by [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]. Reasons for Patrick’s withdrawal are unknown.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the targeted booking to MMA Junkie after an initial report from MMAPlay365. The person asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Fiziev (7-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is coming off of an ACL and MCL surgery underwent in November. Two fights into his promotional tenure, Fiziev is batting .500. In his UFC debut in April 2019, Fiziev was knocked out by Magomed Mustafaev. Six months later, Fiziev picked up his fist UFC victory with a unanimous decision win over Alex White.

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After losing three straight, Diakiese rebounded with back-to-back wins over Joseph Duffy and Lando Vannata. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling all international cards, Diakiese was scheduled to face newcomer and Cage Warriors lightweight champion Jai Herbert at the UFC’s March event in London.

The UFC event on July 18 takes place on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi – the second of four cards the promotion is holding there in the span of 15 days.

With the addition, the current July 18 lineup includes:

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez – for vacant UFC flyweight title
Kelvin Gastelum vs. Jack Hermansson
Marc Diakiese vs. Rafael Fiziev
Askar Askarov vs. Alexandre Pantoja
Roman Dolidze vs. Khadis Ibragimov
Carlos Felipe vs. Serghei Spivac
Davi Ramos vs. Arman Tsarukyan

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MMA injury report: Stephen Thompson avoids surgery; Henry Cejudo on schedule

The latest in notable MMA injuries, including updates on Stephen Thompson, Dustin Poirier, Henry Cejudo, and more.

It’s no secret that MMA is a grueling sport. Injuries occur everywhere from the training room to the cage, and sometimes even beyond that.

Injuries can cause the best set plans to fall by the wayside, derail careers or worse. Still, though, the overwhelming majority of fighters overcome their physical setbacks and eventually find their way back to competition.

Below MMA Junkie tracks the latest in notable MMA injuries, including updates on former interim UFC lightweight champ Dustin Poirier, multi-time UFC title challenger Stephen Thompson, dual UFC champ Henry Cejudo and more.

* * * *

Stephen Thompson

Former two-time UFC welterweight title challenger [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag] (15-4-1 MMA, 10-4-1 UFC) confirmed to MMA Junkie that he will not require surgery on either hand after damaging them in his “Fight of the Night” victory over Vicente Luque at UFC 244, news that was first reported by MMA Fighting.

According to “Wonderboy,” he is still dealing with some pain and swelling in both hands, but a doctor confirmed no operation will be necessary. Thompson expects his hands to be healed within eight weeks, and at that point he can begin looking at his next fight.

Dustin Poirier

Former UFC interim lightweight champion [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] (26-6 MMA, 17-5 UFC) is engaging in daily physical therapy sessions after undergoing hip surgery Oct. 24 to repair a lingering injury.

“The Diamond” told MMA Junkie his rehab is currently on track, and Poirier is targeting a return to the octagon in March against a high-profile opponent in the lightweight or welterweight division.

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