Fight Preview
Fight By Fight Preview | UFC Baku
Diving Into The Lineup For Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs Torres
Last year’s debut event in Baku, Azerbaijan was one of the more raucous international events on the UFC’s 2025 schedule, as Baku Crystal Hall was packed from the outset and roared to life straight away, becoming deafening when hometown lightweights Nazim Sadykhov and Rafael Fiziev earned thrilling victories.
This year, as the promotion makes its return, the action shifts to the National Gymnastics Arena, but promises to be every bit as exciting, with a stacked card offering a fascinating mix of newcomers, rising stars, and matchups carrying genuine divisional significance, all capped by a lightweight main event that should be electric.
Here’s a closer look at what’s on tap.
Main Event: Rafael Fiziev vs Manuel Torres
Location: National Gymnastics Arena — Baku, Azerbaijan
Where to Watch: Paramount+
Other Main Card Matches:
- Shara Magomedov vs Michel Pereira
- Nazim Sadykhov vs Matheus Camilo
- Asu Almabayev vs Charles Johnson
- Ikram Aliskerov vs Brunno Ferreira
- Abus Magomedov vs Michal Oleksiejczuk
Prelim Matches:
- Farman Hasanov vs Eric Nolan
- Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev vs Julius Walker
- Nursulton Ruziboev vs Andrey Pulyaev
- Kaan Ofli vs Javier Reyes
- Daniil Donchenko vs Theodor Berggren
- Bekzat Almakhan vs Jean Matsumoto
- Tahir Abdullayev vs Jefferson Nascimento
Main Event: Rafael Fiziev vs Manuel Torres
The evening wraps in the lightweight division where ranked all-action standouts Rafael Fiziev and Manuel Torres go head-to-head to see who will head into the second half of the year in position for a potential Top 10 matchup.
Fiziev, who was born in Kazakhstan but represents Azerbaijan, returns to Baku looking to replicate the effort he delivered last year in beating Ignacio Bahamondes. It stands as his lone win over his last five outings dating back to his first encounter with new champ Justin Gaethje, and a comparable performance here against Torres would go a long way to steady him in the lightweight ranks and remind everyone that results aren’t always a reflection of talent, skill, and divisional standing.
Fighting outside of Las Vegas or his native Mexico for the first time in his career, Torres touches down having earned back-to-back first-round stoppage wins in 2025 to climb into the Top 15. The Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) grad is 5-1 in the UFC and has yet to see a second round, having been beyond the opening five minutes only once in his 20-fight career.
RELATED: Torres Wants To Be Feared | Torres Journey To Main Event | Fiziev Back To Put Things Right
There is no way this isn’t an entertaining way to close out the night in Baku, given their individual styles and what is at stake for each man. Fiziev has the more diverse arsenal and is the technical superior fighter, but Torres is a power hitter with a penchant for making things ugly in the best way possible, so expect chaotic exchanges and dynamic offense for as long as this one lasts.
Additional Main Card Matchups
Shara Magomedov vs Michel Pereira
Shara Magomedov and Michel Pereira face off in the co-main event, bringing together two of the more fan-friendly strikers in the division for an important fixture in the middleweight division.
READ: Shara Magomedov | The Pirate Returns
The 32-year-old Magomedov has been mostly as advertised since arriving in the UFC, posting a 5-1 record with a couple of impressive finishes, a pair of Fight of the Night bonuses, and a kick-heavy style that is effective against opponents that want to engage on his terms. Last time out, Magomedov rallied to earn a unanimous decision win over Marc-Andre Barriault in a competitive back-and-forth battle in Abu Dhabi to quickly rebound from his first career loss and get things moving in the right direction again.
Shara Magomedov Fight Week Interview | UFC Baku
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Shara Magomedov Fight Week Interview | UFC Baku
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Pereira remains one of the more mercurial fighters on the UFC roster; an athlete who can look like a sure-fire contender or someone struggling to find consistent success inside the Octagon, depending on the night. He halted a three-fight slide in February by edging out Zachary Reese and will look to tap into the form that produced three straight stoppage wins upon his arrival in the division here.
What’s going to be most intriguing about this matchup is seeing how Pereira chooses to engage, as the Brazilian is a physical presence who should have a significant advantage in the grappling department, but doesn’t always look to use those skills. If they just stand and trade, this could be a captivating striking battle with Fight of the Year potential.
Nazim Sadykhov vs Matheus Camilo
Hometown favorite Nazim Sadykhov returns to Baku for a second straight year, looking to topple another Brazilian as he squares off with Matheus Camilo.
READ: Sadykhov Running With A New Pack
Last summer, Sadykhov scored a second-round stoppage win over Nikolas Motta in a frenetic battle that stood as one of the best fights of the year and produced a milestone moment for the lightweight who was initially raised in Baku before moving to the States. He stumbled last time out against Fares Ziam, halting his unbeaten run inside the Octagon and 12-fight unbeaten run overall, which should only add to his motivation to turn in another impressive showing this weekend in his return home.
The 25-year-old Camilo is the second consecutive Xtreme Couture representative making the trip to Azerbaijan to face off with Sadykhov, touching down in Baku on the heels of earning his first UFC victory last November. Just 13 fights into his pro career and still developing, this is a tremendous opportunity for the young Brazilian to potentially score the biggest win of his career and take a sizeable step forward in the lightweight ranks.
Will Sadykhov earn another win at home, or will Camilo silence the partisan crowd?
Asu Almabayev vs Charles Johnson
Top 15 flyweight clash on the main card in Baku as Asu Almabayev and Charles Johnson share the Octagon on Saturday.
READ: Charles Johnson | Big Fight ‘InnerG’
Seven fights into his UFC tenure, Almabayev has settled into place in the Top 10 in the flyweight division, having amassed a 6-1 record with his lone loss coming in a clash with Manel Kape last March, where an uncalled accidental eye poke kicked off the finishing sequence. He rebounded just four months later with a good win over Jose Ochoa and then capped the year with a submission finish of Alex Perez to hit 2026 on a tidy two-fight winning streak and trending upwards in the division.
Charles Johnson Lands Statement KO Victory Over Lone’er Kavanagh | UFC Shanghai
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Charles Johnson Lands Statement KO Victory Over Lone’er Kavanagh | UFC Shanghai
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Johnson makes his third start of the year, looking to find some consistency in his efforts and results inside the Octagon. The last man to beat current champ Joshua Van, Johnson closed out his 2025 campaign with an upset win over Lone’er Kavanagh, but was quickly stopped by Alex Perez in January before rebounding with a split decision victory over Bruno Silva less than two months later.
This is one of those matchups that should provide further clarification about where each man stands in the division and what is fair to expect from and project for them in the future. Flyweight has never been deeper, and the battle for spots in the rankings is more competitive than at any previous time, so each man would greatly benefit from the kind of win that answers any remaining questions fans and pundits have about their place in the hierarchy as we head into the second half of the year.
Ikram Aliskerov vs Brunno Ferreira
The second of Saturday’s three main card middleweight pairings sees Ikram Aliskerov lock horns with Brunno Ferreira.
RELATED: Fighters On The Rise | Aliskerov Eager To Take A Step Forward
Now in his fourth year on the UFC roster, Aliskerov feels like he’s been hovering in the same position for the previous couple of years, having posted two wins on either side of his 2024 short-notice loss to Robert Whittaker, while struggling to land the kind of matchup that truly propels him forward in the division. The DWCS Class of ’22 grad has earned finishes in three of his four wins, is 17-2 overall, and has long felt like a dark horse in the 185-pound weight class.
Ferreira, who also earned his spot on the roster with a win on Season 6 of the annual talent-search series, has gone 6-3 over his first nine UFC appearances, bookending his tenure by splitting a pair of fights with Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues. “The Hulk” has only been to the scorecards once in his entire 18-fight career and out of the first round just five times, so expect early action from the powerful Brazilian.
Middleweight is in the midst of a serious changing of the guard, and the winner of this one could get in on the action in and around the Top 15 in the back half of 2026. There are a couple of big divisional matchups on tap and so a dominant showing by either man could put them in a position to line up with a ranked opponent on a similar timeline in the future.
Abus Magomedov vs Michal Oleksiejczuk
Middleweights open the main card in Baku this weekend as Abus Magomedov squares off with Michal Oleksiejczuk.
MORE: Oleksiejczuk Polish Nerd Looking to Keep Pushing Forward
Magomedov had a little momentum going heading into the fall, having earned three straight wins to land on the doorstep of the Top 15 before running afoul of Joe Pyfer at UFC 320. Now the 35-year-old veteran looks to restart a winning streak and collect a fifth UFC victory as he steps in with Oleksiejczuk on Saturday.
Still just 31 years old despite this being his 19th UFC appearance, Oleksiejczuk has been lights out since linking up with the Fighting Nerds, posting three straight wins. A perpetual threat to end things early with his slick striking, it’s worth noting that the Polish divisional mainstay has gone the distance in two of his last four outings, earning Fight of the Night bonuses in both those contests.
Read All About The New Meta UFC Rankings Here
This feels like one of those moments where if Oleksiejczuk is truly poised to make a run, he kicks off the year with an emphatic effort against Magomedov. But that is easier said than done, as he’s only lost to ranked competition since arriving in the UFC, to pay close attention to how this one plays out.
Preliminary Card Pairings
Farman Hasanov vs Eric Nolan
The preliminary card wraps in the welterweight division as undefeated Azerbaijani newcomer Farman Hasanov battles American Eric Nolan.
Hasanov has made his last three appearances under the LFA banner and earned a pair of stoppage wins last year to advance to 5-0 for his career. Nolan debuted last year, up a division against Baisangur Susurkaev, but now returns to the 170-pound weight class,
Conor McGregor | The Notorious One Returns
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Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev vs Julius Walker
Middleweight prospect Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev makes his second appearance of the year and looks to remain unbeaten as he faces off with Julius Walker.
READ: Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev Active, Successful, And Hungry For More
The DWCS Season 9 standout blew through Rafael Cerquiera in his debut last November and followed it up with another first-round finish in April, pushing his record to 9-0 with eight finishes, including five straight in the opening stanza. Walker has alternated results since arriving in the UFC, sandwiching his lone triumph between losses to veteran light heavyweight mainstays Alonzo Menifield and Dustin Jacoby.
Nursulton Ruziboev vs Andrey Pulyaev
The first of the night’s four middleweight pairings comes on the prelims, where Nursulton Ruziboev looks to continue his hot streak against DWCS grad Andrey Pulyaev.
Nursulton Ruziboev Knocks Out Eric McConico In Round 1 | UFC Seattle
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Nursulton Ruziboev Knocks Out Eric McConico In Round 1 | UFC Seattle
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Ruziboev has earned four consecutive UFC victories in the 185-pound weight class, two on either side of his welterweight loss to Joaquin Buckley in the spring of 2024. Pulyaev, who earned a contract in Season 8, picked up a second-round stoppage win over fellow Class of ’24 grad Nick Klein last August and gave a good account of himself in a decision loss to Ateba Gautier at UDFC 324 in January.
Kaan Ofli vs Javier Reyes
Featherweights that earned their place on the roster through talent-search events clash here as Kaan Ofli meets Javier Reyes.
FIGHT WEEK INTERVIEWS: Rafael Fiziev | Manuel Torres | Shara Magomedov | Daniil Donchenko | Julius Walker | Kaan Ofli
A finalist on Season 32 of The Ultimate Fighter, Ofli returns to action for the second time this year, looking to build on his two-fight winning streak. Reyes, who collected a contract with a win last season on the Contender Series, earned an impressive first-round finish of Brazilian veteran Douglas Silva de Andrade in his debut to push his winning streak to three and his record to 23-5 overall.
Daniil Donchenko vs Theodor Berggren
TUF 33 welterweight winner Daniil Donchenko returns to action in what should be an all-action affair with Swedish newcomer Theodor Berggren.
MORE: Donchenko Seeking Beautiful Destruction | Berggren Answered The Call
The 24-year-old Donchenko followed up his tournament win with a unanimous decision victory over veteran Alex Morono in February to advance to 13-2 for his career, extending his winning streak to six in the process. Berggren taps in for fellow Swede Andreas Gustafsson, carrying an 8-3 record and 100-percent finishing rate into his promotional debut this weekend.
Bekzat Almakhan vs Jean Matsumoto
Talented bantamweights meet early in the evening in Baku as Bekzat Almakhan shares the Octagon with Jean Matsumoto.
The 28-year-old Almakhan is only 1-2 in the UFC, but his win was a blistering 64-second knockout of Brad Katona and came in between decision losses to title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov and prospect Aleksandre Topuria. Matsumoto is in a comparable position over his last three outings, earning a win over Miles Johns between losses to Rob Font and Farid Basharat, with all three fights ending in split decision verdicts.
Tahir Abdullayev vs Jefferson Nascimento
The night’s action begins in the welterweight division as newcomers Tahir Abdullayev and Jefferson Nascimento meet to kick things off.
Owner of a 19-3 record and four consecutive stoppage wins, Abdullaev is another native of Baku set to step into the Octagon on Saturday, looking to thrill the partisan crowd. Nascimento arrives in the UFC with a perfect 13-0 record, having earned LFA title fight victories in each of his last three appearances.
UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs Torres took place live from National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan on June 27, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!