The UFC made its return to Baku, Azerbaijan, with an action-packed Fight Night card that featured 13 bouts and nine finishes. The hometown crowd was treated to an explosive evening capped by a spectacular knockout from hometown favorite Rafael Fiziev in the main event.
Main Event: Rafael Fiziev def. Manuel Torres
Rafael Fiziev delivered one of the biggest wins of his career, knocking out Manuel Torres just 15 seconds into the second round. After a competitive opening round, Fiziev landed a spinning kick followed by a barrage of punches to earn the stoppage and snap a difficult stretch in his career. The victory immediately puts the Azerbaijani lightweight back into the conversation among the division’s top contenders.
Co-Main Event
Shara Magomedov earned a unanimous decision over Michel Pereira in a striking battle. Magomedov’s precision and control over three rounds were enough to secure a clear victory.
Other Main Card Highlights
Matheus Camilo stopped Nazim Sadykhov by first-round TKO.
Asu Almabayev submitted Charles Johnson with a rare Suloev Stretch, one of the UFC’s rarest submission finishes.
Abus Magomedov defeated Michal Oleksiejczuk by submission.
Kaan Ofli also earned a submission victory on the main card.
Preliminary Card
The prelims featured several memorable finishes, including Abdulrakhman Yakhyaev’s stunning eight-second knockout of Julius Walker, one of the fastest knockouts in UFC light heavyweight history. Local favorite Tahir Abdullayev thrilled the crowd with a dramatic third-round TKO comeback, while Nursulton Ruziboev picked up a first-round rear-naked choke submission.
UFC Baku delivered an entertaining night of fights with highlight-reel finishes throughout the card. Fiziev’s spectacular knockout capped a successful debut event in Baku, while Almabayev’s rare submission and Yakhyaev’s lightning-fast knockout gave fans several unforgettable moments.
