Top UFC Lightweight Voices Frustration after Accepting “Four Different Opponents”

One of the UFC’s top lightweight contenders is apparently struggling to find an opponent for his return to the Octagon.

Rafael Fiziev Still Waiting For Return Fight News

The lightweight division will take center stage this Saturday night when Islam Makhachev and Arman Tsarukyan meet in a rematch for Makhachev’s lightweight belt at UFC 311, which is set to go down at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, CA.

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Tsarukyan is clearly deserving of his first UFC title shot after becoming the lightweight division’s #1 contender with a four-fight win streak that includes victories over Beneil Dariush and Charles Oliveira, but the weight class certainly has no shortage of high-level fighters and is arguably the deepest division in the UFC.

One top contender that fans haven’t seen recently is #11-ranked Rafael Fiziev, who is apparently eager to return to the cage but is struggling to find a willing dance partner.

I’ve accepted fights in September, December, January, and February against four different opponents, yet I still don’t have a date! I’m working hard and can’t wait to step back into the octagon, it’s been way too long!
— Rafael “Ataman” Fiziev (@RafaelFiziev) January 15, 2025

6 Post-Fight Bonuses In 9 Fights For Fiziev

Fiziev joined the UFC with a 6-0 MMA record in 2019 and was stopped by Magomed Mustaev in his promotional debut, but after that the 31-year-old put together a six-fight win streak that included knockout-wins against current top lightweight Renato Moicano, Brad Riddell, and former lightweight titleholder Rafael dos Anjos.

WHEEL KICK!!!!! @RafaelFiziev landed it on the button 🎯 #UFCVegas44 pic.twitter.com/5Oo8IERQ1m
— UFC (@ufc) December 5, 2021

The win over dos Anjos in his first UFC main event in 2022 earned Fizeiv a matchup with former Interim Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje at UFC 286, and after losing that fight via majority decision “Ataman” suffered a leg injury during a UFC Fight Night headliner against Mateusz Gamrot in September 2023 and hasn’t competed since.

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Fiziev’s meeting with Gaethje took home Fight of the Night honors at UFC 286 to give the #11-ranked lightweight his sixth post-fight bonus since joining the promotion, and hopefully fans will get to see the talented striker finally return to the Octagon in the first half of 2025.

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