Fiziev scores spinning-heel-kick KO over Torres on home soil

Rafael "Ataman" Fiziev delivered a stunning spinning heel kick victory on home soil in Azerbaijan.

Fiziev (14-5), ranked No. 11 in the UFC lightweight (70.3 kg) media panel rankings, knocked out No. 15-ranked Manuel Torres (31, Mexico) at 15 seconds of the second round in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku on Sunday. The finish came via a spinning heel kick followed by a flurry of punches.

Fiziev pressed Torres hard from the opening bell, landing powerful body kicks and right overhand hooks. As he had promised before the fight, he also mixed in wrestling — driving Torres to the fence with a takedown attempt before securing top position. Though his control time was limited, he scored another takedown to build on his lead. Torres was no pushover, however, landing a sharp combination just before the end of the round that left Fiziev visibly hurt.

The second round was over almost as soon as it began. Fiziev landed a devastating spinning heel kick that rocked Torres even as he raised his guard to block it. Torres staggered, then crumpled to the canvas under a follow-up hook combination. A brief ground-and-pound sequence followed, and when Torres failed to respond, the referee stopped the contest.

Fiziev wept after the victory in his ancestral homeland. His grandparents were Azerbaijanis forcibly relocated to Central Asia during the Soviet era, and he had said before the fight that he wished they were alive to see him compete. "There have been ups and downs in my career, but I am so happy with who I am today — on Monday," he said.

Reflecting on the fight, Fiziev said a jab to his right eye in the first round had left him seeing double. "Going into the second round, I was thinking about what I could do — and I just threw the spinning heel kick," he said. He then turned to the home crowd and shouted that he wanted to reach the top.

Looking ahead, Fiziev said he wants to claim the BMF (Baddest Motherf---er) title. Acknowledging that a shot at the UFC lightweight title remains out of reach for now, he told reporters at the post-fight press conference: "I'm not hoping for a miracle. I know I'm far from the champion Gaethje, but I think I'm a perfect fit for the BMF."

In the co-main event, middleweight (83.9 kg) contender Shara "Bullet" Magomedov (32, Russia) came from behind to defeat "Demolidor" Michel Pereira (32, Brazil) by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28.

At the post-fight press conference, Magomedov called for a bout against former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. "Adesanya is fast, tall and an interesting fighter — it would be an exciting matchup," he said. He added that he is ready to fight whoever the UFC puts in front of him. "Top 15, top 10, even top 5 — I'll fight them all," he said.

Both Fiziev and Pereira competed in Korean organizations before reaching the UFC, but their fortunes diverged sharply on Sunday. Fiziev capped his thrilling finish by earning a Performance of the Night bonus of about 154.26 million won ($99,900), while Pereira, despite a strong start, failed to extend his winning streak.