Rafael Fiziev experienced a defeat against Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 325, yet a close associate of the former predicts an impending resurgence. Daniil Donchenko is the fighter in question; the TUF champion and forthcoming UFC debutant possesses an impressive record of training alongside elite peers, and he has previously referred to Fiziev as his sibling.
Despite encountering a challenging night against Mauricio Ruffy, Fiziev maintains his standing as one of the world’s top lightweights, even with a recent dry spell of victories inside the octagon. When offering his perspective on that lightweight contest from UFC 325 between Fiziev and Ruffy, Donchenko stated [as reported by Bowks Talking Bouts],
“Indeed, it was an excellent match. Rafael began demonstrating his superiority early on. He exuded confidence, pressing forward right from the start, and I observed Mauricio appearing somewhat hesitant, not executing his intended strategy in the initial round. This was due to Rafael delivering numerous powerful blows and strikes. Then, in the second round, Rafael made a single misstep.”
“Mauricio proved exceptional and seized his opportunity, leading to the outcome we witnessed. However, as I often explain, it’s akin to poker – you can be ahead throughout a contest, and then a solitary moment, just one strike, can alter everything. Despite this, I still believe… for instance, he previously had three defeats, but consider those losses: one was against Justin Gaethje, a formidable bout against the current interim champion.”
“His second defeat resulted from an injury. He was actually prevailing in that contest before the injury occurred. Following that, he accepted a fight on merely six days’ notice, traveling from Thailand to the U.S. One must remember the extensive travel, roughly 30 hours, only to then compete in the desert environment of Las Vegas. That was another incredible matchup where he nearly defeated Justin Gaethje once more. Yes, certainly, he experienced three consecutive losses previously, but these were extraordinary defeats. After that, he went on to overcome [Ignacio] Bahamondes.”
Donchenko asserts Rafael Fiziev possesses superior all-around combat skills compared to Ruffy, Benoit St Denis, and Hooker
Expanding on the contest between Rafael Fiziev and Mauricio Ruffy, and considering Fiziev’s standing within the UFC’s 155-pound division, Donchenko elaborated [as communicated to Bowks Talking Bouts],
“He demonstrated an astute fighting style, and his performance against Mauricio Ruffy was indeed commendable. As I mentioned, it’s comparable to poker; I truly believe he can recover and continue progressing. He’s still youthful. Consider Justin Gaethje, who is currently 37 and has once again claimed the interim championship. This means Rafael has at least another five years in the sport. Consequently, I’m eager to witness his future matches. It would be logical, in my opinion, to see him compete against [Dan] Hooker, and who else might be a suitable opponent?”
“Perhaps a rematch with [Mateusz] Gamrot, I’m unsure. However, to me, he is unequivocally a more well-rounded combatant than Ruffy, Benoit St Denis, or Hooker. It simply wasn’t his moment. He possesses greater technical skill, given my awareness of his capabilities in wrestling, grappling, and striking. So, we shall observe. It’s merely a brief retreat before a significant surge forward [chuckles].”
