UFC 286 | Rafael Fiziev Faces Toughest Test In Gaethje

Fireworks will be guaranteed this weekend as Rafael Fiziev faces former title challenger Justin Gaethje in the co-main event of the highly anticipated UFC 286 card.

“Ataman” has long been considered by fans as one of the most exciting prospects to step foot in the octagon. His high octane pace, mixed with his dynamic striking style has caused opponents nothing but issues, allowing the Azerbaijani fighter to accumulate a dominant six fight winning streak in the promotion.

With his most recent performance over Rafael Dos Anjos solidifying Fiziev as a top lightweight, everyone’s attention turned to who could possibly be next… Thankfully, after a long wait, fans finally got their answer in the form of Justin Gaethje.

Gaethje has long been one of the promotions biggest fan favourites since joining the roster back in 2017. His ”Brawl or nothing” style has long kept fight fans at the edge of their seats, and his pairing with Rafael Fiziev on UFC 286 has gone down remarkably well with fans.

Battle of Recent Form

As mentioned previously, Fiziev is riding a six fight winning streak heading into the fight with three of those coming by way of KO/TKO. Gaethje however, has won four of his last six with his most recent outing being a first round submission loss to Charles Oliveira.

Gaethje’s resume does boast the better level of competition and sits nicely at #3 in the official UFC lightweight rankings. This step up in competition is exactly what “Ataman” needs to consolidate himself as a serious contender in the division. It’s also a perfect booking for #6 ranked Fiziev who has faced gradually better guys each time out, leading to a steady growth of his physical and mental skill sets, aligning this fight with Justin Gaethje perfectly.

Prediction?

ABSOLUTE WAR. I mean, is there anything else that could be expected from this co-main event? Two of the promotions biggest stand-up stars, both have power, both aggressive in applying the pressure and keeping the opponent on the back foot.

I doubt this fight will hit the ground with the elite level of striking that both athletes possess, but getting the KO/TKO for either will be easier said than done. Gaethje was last beaten by that result in 2018 at the hands of Dustin Poirier, whilst Fiziev tasted the same at the hands of Magomed Mustafaev in 2019.

Instead, I feel a high-paced chess match will ensue, where it will come down to who is better prepared gameplan wise and who picks the better shots as opposed to the raging bull style were used to seeing.

How do you see the fight between Rafael Fiziev and Justin Gaethje playing out? Let us know on our social media pages here, and don’t forget to check out our in-depth main card breakdown for UFC 286 ahead of the event.