Fighters On The Rise | UFC Baku

On a card that has a bit of a “lightweight showcase” vibe, Bahamondes is part of the final set of competitors in the 155-pound ranks that will step into the Octagon this weekend, as he faces off with Rafael Fiziev, who represents the host nation inside the cage.

The 27-year-old Bahamondes rolls into his second appearance of the year riding a three-fight winning streak where each of the victories has come inside the opening round. After dispatching Christos Giagos and Manuel Torres in successive bouts last year, “La Jaula” upped the ante in March by finishing Jalin Turner, a win that momentarily earned him a place in the Top 15.

Order UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira

A member of the DWCS Class of 2020, Bahamondes, who trains under Mike Valle and alongside Belal Muhammad and Yair Rodriguez in the Chicagoland area, has posted a 6-1 record since dropping his promotional debut, with his lone setback coming against Ludovit Klein in the summer of 2023. He has tremendous size for the division and a diverse striking arsenal, with a particularly dangerous array of kicks and the ability to utilize his length to lock up chokes, as he did against both Rongzhu and Turner.

This weekend, Bahamondes shares the Octagon with Fiziev, who returned to action earlier this year following more than a year on the sidelines, losing a decision to Justin Gaethje at UFC 313. The 32-year-old has dropped three straight overall — twin losses to Gaethje bookending an injury TKO setback against Mateusz Gamrot — but remains stationed at No. 11 in the lightweight rankings.

Raised in Baku until he was seven, Sadykhov gets the opportunity to compete in his hometown this weekend, facing off with Nikolas Motta in the first of three lightweight bouts on the main card.

The 31-year-old, who spent his formative years in Brooklyn before recently relocating to Las Vegas, enters with a 3-0-1 mark in four UFC starts today, having finished each of his three victories inside the distance. After closing his 2023 campaign at Madison Square Garden in November, Sadykhov did not compete in 2024, as a pair of opponents were forced out of summer assignments. When he returned to action in February, it took a moment for him to settle in and make his reads before he blasted Ismail Bonfim with a precise questions mark kick that rendered the Brazilian unable to continue after the end of the first round.

Catch Up On UFC BJJ: Road To The Title With Every Episode

Another member of the Serra-Longo crew that has connected with John Wood and the team at Syndicate MMA, the ascending lightweight is unbeaten in his last 11 fights, with nine of 10 career victories coming by way of stoppage, including a second-round submission win over Terrance McKinney.

This weekend’s matchup with Motta is another dangerous assignment against a tough Brazilian. Like Sadykhov, the 32-year-old is a DWCS alum and based in Las Vegas, training out of Xtreme Couture, and enters this fight having earned back-to-back wins over Tom Nolan and Mahershate.

Saturday’s contest will clarify where Sadykhov currently stands in the 155-pound weight class and answer a number of keys questions that need to be asked of any streaking, ascending fighter. In addition to having to contend with Motta’s heavy hands and well-rounded skill set, it will be interesting to see how “The Black Wolf” handles competing at home in front of a partisan crowd, where the spotlight will be the greatest it has been to date in his career.

Massive Canelo vs Crawford Bout Slated For Netflix

If he can successfully navigate this bucket list opportunity, a step up in competition could be on the horizon for the DWCS graduate.

Oban Elliott

Aiming to build off his best performance since arriving on the UFC stage, “The Welsh Gangster” makes his 2025 debut a couple weeks later than originally scheduled, venturing to Baku to face off with SeokHyun Ko on Saturday.

In most years, going 3-0 and finishing things off with a blistering stoppage win in Madison Square Garden would be enough to land you a place on the podium amongst the top newcomers of the year, but between a host of Fighting Nerds and new women’s welterweight champ Kayla Harrison, Elliott had to settle for seventh place on the list. Still, after decision wins over Val Woodburn and Preston Parsons, his knockout win over Bassil Hafez 40 seconds into the third round of their UFC 309 pairing in NYC was the kind of statement performance that made everyone sit up and take real notice of the Shore Mixed Martial Arts representative.

Get Ready For UFC Baku With A Full Breakdown Of Every Fight

Though he’s dynamic with a microphone in his hands and a camera in his face, the 27-year-old is more “substance over style” when it comes to his fighting. There is no one area of his game that jumps off the page and he doesn’t blow you away with his athleticism or strength; instead, Elliott is rock solid in every phase, with heaps of tenacity and heart to boot.

Originally slated to face off with Ramiz Brahimaj on May 31 in Las Vegas, he and Ko both ran into visa issues and were subsequently booked opposite one another here. The 31-year-old South Korean is making his promotional debut after earning his place on the roster with a unanimous decision win over the previously undefeated Igor Cavalcanti last season on the annual talent search series, running his winning streak to four in the process.

While there are other bouts on the card that are garnering the lion’s share of attention as we ready for Saturday, Elliott is the type of competitor that can absolutely commandeer the spotlight with a blistering effort early in the night. He’s won eight straight overall, and if he runs that winning streak to nine with another outstanding effort, be prepared for a high-quality post-fight promo and to see the Welshman lined up opposite a more established name later this year.