Tag: Rafael Fiziev

Rafael dos Anjos reacts to UFC on ESPN 39 knockout, says Rafael Fiziev ‘caught me good’

Rafael dos Anjos handled his knockout loss to Rafael Fiziev at UFC on ESPN 39 with the utmost class.

[autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] handled his knockout loss to [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] at UFC on ESPN 39 with the utmost class.

Dos Anjos (32-14 MMA, 20-12 UFC), a former UFC lightweight champion, had his night brought to a sudden halt on Saturday when Fiziev (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) caught him with a huge punch in the fifth round that led to a stoppage at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

It was a tough setback for the Brazilian, who had been making a charge up the 155-pound pecking order in pursuit of regaining the UFC title he lost in 2016. It didn’t go his way, but as always, dos Anjos was gracious in defeat (via Twitter):

Congrats @RafaelFiziev great win. It was a fun one…you caught me good on that one. Enjoy your victory.

Fiziev showed all respect in return to dos Anjos, who is just one of 10 fighters to reach 20 career victories under the UFC banner. The surging contender added a big scalp to his resume with the win, and is now poised for a run toward the top of the division (via Twitter):

Nothing but respect to the future hall of famer @RdosAnjosMMA
Thanks for the opportunity 🤝

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UFC on ESPN 39 post-event facts: Ricky Turcios’ rough striking numbers enter record books

Ricky Turcios landed just 11.5 percent of his strike attempts at UFC on ESPN 39, putting him in the record books for the wrong reasons.

After International Fight Week took over the MMA world, UFC on ESPN 39 on Saturday proved to be something of a hangover card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) put a highlight on the end of a long night of fights, though, when he scored a fifth-round knockout of former UFC champ [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] (32-14 MMA, 20-12 UFC) to extend his winning streak in the lightweight division to six consecutive fights.

For more on the numbers behind the main event, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC on ESPN 39.

Rafael Fiziev sends message to Justin Gaethje: ‘Don’t talk sh*t and let’s go’

Rafael Fiziev wants Justin Gaethje next.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] is taking aim at the top of the division following his latest win in the UFC.

The rising UFC lightweight contender called out former title challenger Justin Gaethje following his KO victory over Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 39 in Las Vegas. Fiziev (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who’s now on a six-fight winning streak, believes that’s what makes sense for him next in his carer.

“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.”

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Much like former UFC champion dos Anjos (31-14 MMA, 20-12 UFC), Fiziev expects a tough fight with Gaetheje. He also thinks there’s a good chance fans will see a finish – whether it comes his way or in Gaethje’s direction.

“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 finds himself on a six-fight winning streak, which includes notable names such as Bobby Green, Brad Riddell, Renato Moicano, and now a former UFC champion in dos Anjos. Fiziev has only lost once in his entire professional MMA career, coming up short in his UFC debut back in 2019.

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UFC on ESPN 39 results: Rafael Fiziev KOs Rafael dos Anjos, improves streak to six straight

Rafael Fiziev continues to climb the rankings after finishing a former champion in the main event.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] keeps climbing up the rankings.

The UFC lightweight contender extended his winning streak on Saturday night. Fiziev (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) knocked out former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] in the main event of UFC on ESPN 39. The official stoppage came 18 seconds into the fifth round.

It was a competitive fight that seemed to slightly favor Fiziev for the majority of the fight.

In the first three rounds, dos Anjos (31-14 MMA, 20-12 UFC) looked to takedown Fiziev, but he was unable to. The former champion struggled to bring Fiziev to the mat, but did have some success controlling Fiziev for certain periods of time against the cage. However, when the fight was on the feet, Fiziev seemed to connect more and overall command the fight in that area.

In round four, dos Anjos looked significantly better. He connected the cleaner shots of the round and looked to be more active on the feet. He also got a clean takedown and managed to get control time on Fiziev.

Unfortunately for dos Anjos, the momentum he picked up quickly came to an end at the beginning of the fifth round. Fiziev clipped the Brazilian with a left hook, dropped him, and followed up with a few shots to get the fight called off.

https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1545986895443767296?s=20&t=wblZUef82VXo7UaC3MLsDA

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With this win, Fiziev’s momentum in the UFC keeps growing. The 29-year-old is on a six-fight winning streak, which includes notable names such as Bobby Green, Brad Riddell, Renato Moicano and now dos Anjos. Fiziev has only lost once in his entire professinal MMA career, coming up short in his UFC debut back in 2019.

On the other hand, dos Anjos tasted his first defeat since dropping back to lightweight. The former champion moved down from welterweight back to lightweight in late 2020. He defeated Paul Felder in his return and then followed up with a dominant decision win over Moicano. Dos Anjos is 3-3 in his past six outings.

Up-to-the-minute UFC on ESPN 39 results include:

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Twitter reacts to Rafael Fiziev’s knockout of Rafael dos Anjos at UFC on ESPN 39

See the top Twitter reactions to Rafael Fiziev’s win over Rafael dos Anjos in the UFC on ESPN 39 main event.

[autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] took a major step forward in his career Saturday when he defeated [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] in his first main event opportunity at UFC on ESPN 39.

Fiziev’s (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) sixth consecutive win was his most significant to date, because he beat former UFC champ dos Anjos (32-14 MMA, 20-12 UFC) by fifth-round knockout in the lightweight headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Check below for the top Twitter reactions to Fiziev’s victory over dos Anjos at UFC on ESPN 39.

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UFC on ESPN 39: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rafael Fiziev odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 39 bout odds and lines between Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rafael Fiziev, with MMA picks, tips and predictions.

In a lightweight bout in the main event, Rafael dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 39 – also known as UFC Vegas 58 – at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas.  Below, we analyze the UFC on ESPN 39 dos Anjos vs. Fiziev odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

The prelims can be viewed on ESPN/ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the main card on ESPN/ESPN+ starts at 9 p.m.

Dos Anjos has bounced back from a 1-4 skid with a split-decision win over Paul Felder and a unanimous-decision at UFC 272 last time out against Renato Moicano.

Each of the past 4 fights for dos Anjos have ended up going the distance, and he has just 1 finish across his past 8 outings.

Fiziev heads into this bout with 5 straight victories, including a third-round KO/TKO win over Brad Riddell last time out in December. He is 5-1 since arriving at the UFC level, with 3 finishes in the past 5 outings.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

UFC on ESPN 39 dos Anjos vs. Fiziev odds and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:40 a.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Dos Anjos +170 (bet $100 to win $170) | Fiziev -220 (bet $220 to win $100)
  • Total rounds: Over 4.5 (-155) | Under 4.5 (+112)
  • Will the fight go the distance? Yes (-170) | No (+122)

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UFC on ESPN 39 dos Anjos vs. Fiziev picks and predictions

Records: dos Anjos (31-13-0) | Fiziev (11-1-0)

Fight result (2-way line or money line)

Fiziev (-220) is a little on the expensive side, costing more than 2 times your potential return. While he is expected to roll in this fight, get a little more specific.

Dos Anjos (+170) tends to go the distance, and Fiziev is not strange to the judges deciding a winner in his fights, either. Take FIZIEV BY POINTS (+135) for a much better value.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 4.5 ROUNDS (-155) isn’t terribly out of line if you want a little wiggle room in the event of a late finish. Still, it’s a much better value than playing Yes (-170): Fight to go the distance.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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UFC on ESPN 39 video: Rafael dos Anjos, Rafael Fiziev all business during faceoffs

Watch Rafael dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev face off ahead of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 39.

[autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] and [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] have kept it professional all the way through.

The two UFC lightweight contenders have had a very respectful buildup to their clash in the main event of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 39. From pre-fight interviews to fight week and now the final staredowns, both dos Anjos (31-13 MMA, 20-11 UFC) and Fiziev (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) have been very cordial.

You can watch the main event staredown, as well as the staredowns for the rest of UFC on ESPN 39 in the video above.

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Dos Anjos has won back-to-back fights after a tough stretch of four losses in five bouts. But those losses all came at welterweight to Colby Covington, current champion Kamaru Usman, upcoming title challenger Leon Edwards and Michael Chiesa – all by decision. Since his return to lightweight, he has wins over Paul Felder and, in March, Renato Moicano.

Fiziev has been on a roll since the lone loss of his pro career, which came in his UFC debut in April 2019. Since then, he has five straight wins and has post-fight bonus awards in four straight. This past December, he stopped Brad Riddell with a highlight-reel spinning wheel kick.

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UFC on ESPN 39 pre-event facts: Rafael dos Anjos on cusp of history

Check out the facts and figured behind UFC on ESPN 39, where Rafael dos Anjos near seven hours of cage time.

The UFC continues its busy July schedule Saturday with UFC on ESPN 39, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN/streams on ESPN+.

A high-stakes lightweight clash serves as the main event of the card. Former 155-pound champion [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] (32-13 MMA, 20-11 UFC) continued his pursuit of gold when he takes on the surging [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in a five-round contest.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN 39.

Conor McGregor, Rafael Fiziev argue on Twitter over … axe kicks?

Did you have a Twitter spat between Conor McGregor and Rafael Fiziev over axe kicks on your 2022 MMA bingo card?

[autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag]’s latest Twitter back-and-forth has come with Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 39 headliner.

McGregor, who often likes to break down techniques on social media, commented on [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag]’s elusive defense to high kicks, claiming that it wouldn’t work if an axe kick was being thrown instead.

“This is awesome. Change the roundhouse to an axe kick. Roundhouse into and axe kick and this defense eats the full of the heel. I’m telling you. If their reaction to a high kick is this, implement the axe.”

But the muay Thai specialist, who’s coming off a beautiful spinning wheel-kick knockout of Brad Riddell, wasn’t about to take striking tips from McGregor.

“Conor, I invite you to @tigermuaythai where we can show you how to kick and defend the kicks properly so you can stop living in fantasy world where you think it’s possible to land an axe kick in this situation.”

McGregor is always game to trade barbs, whether it’s with a fighter in or out of his weight class. However, the former UFC champ-champ said his intent wasn’t to talk trash and was simply making an observation. Of course, he also made sure to remind Fiziev of how their resumes stack up against each other.

Did you have a Twitter spat between McGregor and Fiziev over axe kicks on your 2022 MMA bingo card?

Fiziev headlines his first show when he meets former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 39 event.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

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Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rafael Fiziev re-booked for UFC Fight Night main event on July 9

After two previous dates failed to materialize, Rafael dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev will try again to make their fight happen.

After two previous dates failed to materialize, [autotag]Rafael dos Anjos[/autotag] and [autotag]Rafael Fiziev[/autotag] will try again to make their fight happen.

The battle of Rafaels will go down at UFC Fight Night on July 9, with dos Anjos (32-13 MMA, 20-11 UFC) and Fiziev (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) expected to meet in a five-round lightweight main event. A location and venue for the event have yet to be revealed.

It’s a key bout at 155 pounds, with dos Anjos currently sitting at No. 5 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie lightweight rankings and Fiziev checking in at No. 15.

Two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed to MMA Junkie that both fighters have verbally agreed to the matchup. The people requested anonymity because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. ESPN.com was first to report the date.

The pair were originally slated to headline an event on Feb. 19, but the matchup got delayed to UFC 272 in March due to Fiziev’s visa issues. Shortly before fight week arrived, though, Fiziev tested positive for COVID-19, and the matchup was scrapped.

Fiziev is enjoying a very successful stretch in his career. The muay Thai specialist is on a five-fight winning streak, which includes notable wins over Renato Moicano, Bobby Green and, most recently, Brad Riddell. Fiziev’s lone professional MMA defeat came in his UFC debut back in 2019 against Magomed Mustafaev.

On the other hand, ex-UFC lightweight champion dos Anjos looks to stay in the win column since dropping back down to 155 pounds following an eight-fight run at welterweight. The Brazilian returned to the lightweight division in November 2020, defeating Paul Felder by decision. He defeated Fiziev’s replacement, Renato Moicano, by unanimous decision at UFC 272, but the fight was contested at a 160-pound catchweight.

The latest UFC Fight Night lineup for July 9 includes:

  • Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rafael Fiziev
  • Cynthia Calvillo vs. Nina Nunes
  • Cortney Casey vs. Antonina Shevchenko
  • Josh Fremd vs. Tresean Gore
  • Said Nurmagomedov vs. Douglas Silva de Andrade
  • Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Jamie Pickett
  • Caio Borralho vs. Armen Petrosyan
  • Cody Garbrandt vs. Rani Yahya

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