Rafael Fiziev

Who is Rafael Fiziev?

Rafael Fiziev, though less well-known in the MMA world, has competed in numerous Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and non-recorded MMA tournaments. Rafael Fiziev, in addition to being a fighter, is also a coach by trade.

He currently competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Lightweight division (UFC).

Fiziev, like almost every athlete, began his career in MMA early on (Mixed Martial Arts).

However, he only made his UFC debut in the later stages (Ultimate Fighting Championship).

He is currently ranked #25 in the lightweight division.

Above all, Fiziev is known for his ability to knock out opponents.

Before we begin his journey, let’s go over some general background information.

More about Rafael Fiziev

Body Dimensions

Rafael Fiziev has spent years training in fighting gyms and fighting centers.

He currently stands at a towering height of 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 meters) and weighs 155 lb (70 kg).

Furthermore, he has a reach of 71 inches (180 cm).

He participates in his gym routine, like many athletes, with intense deadlifts, squats, and bench presses.

Not to mention that he follows a strict calorie and green leafy veggie diet.

Fiziev looks good with his curly brown short hair and a beard of the same color. Not to mention his captivating grey eyes.

Rafael Fiziev | Childhood

Fiziev was born on March 5, 1993, in Korday, Kazakhstan, under the sign of Pisces.

There appear to be no details or information about his family background or parents.

It is also unknown whether he has any siblings.

According to the sources, Fiziev’s father is a police officer.

Introduction to Mixed Martial Arts

Rafael Fiziev was introduced to fighting at a young age.

He first held boxing gloves as a child, when his father asked him to spar with his cousin.

Rafael recalls giving his all in the fight, but he lost to his cousin, who beat him.

As a result, Fiziev decided he would not engage in fighting because he disliked it.

Nonetheless, he resumed fighting after being admitted to the new school, as if by fate.

Rafael was bullied at his new school because he was transferred after moving.

As a result, he decided to learn Muay Thai.

Thai boxing

Rafael wanted to be trained in the best way possible when he began his Muay Thai training.

He then relocated to Thailand from Kyrgyzstan, where he trained at the world-famous Tiger Muay Thai & MMA in Phuket.

Rafael also trained with the Phuket Top Team during his time there.

Rafael, in fact, was never solely concerned with Muay Thai.

In fact, he would choose from a variety of disciplines such as combat sambo, boxing, hand-to-hand combat, and Jiu-Jitsu.

Having said that, he was also into wrestling and had earned his fifth dan in Taekwondo.

Rafael spent six months with the Phuket Top Team, where he went 8-1 with seven knockouts.

Furthermore, Muay Thai was Fiziev’s base tactic, which also served as the reason for him to assist in his entry into MMA.

His “matrix defense” video against Sorgaw Petchyindee at the time was his biggest highlight, earning him the spot.

To be more specific, the fight occurred on January 27, 2017, during the finals of the Toyota Marathon in Phitsanulok, Thailand.

Rafael fought over Sorgaw with the defense skill of Neo from the 1999 film ‘The Matrix.’

Of course, Sorgaw’s right kick made no impact on Rafael.

As a result, the video went viral on Instagram, garnering over 2 million views.

MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) Performance

Rafael struggled with grappling at first after transitioning from Muay Thai to MMA, despite doing well with striking and standup.

In terms of MMA, he was given the opportunity to learn from Pavel Fedotov, the renowned coach of the Shevchenko sisters, Valentina and Antonina.

Throughout his training, he has made headlines with his highlights.

When the restaurant was attacked for the robbery, he was dining with one of Valentina Shevchenko.

Rafael, on the other hand, shot and killed one of the armed robbers.

He did, in fact, have a bullet wound at the time. Overall, he has had a successful MMA career.

Rafael made his MMA debut in 2015, fighting in Asian regional promotions such as ROAD FC and the American promotion Titan FC.

One of his notable arena fights was against Nandin-Erdene Mungunstooj (a one-minute knockout at Road FC 45 in December 2017).

Aside from that, he has competed in Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) (UFC)

Rafael Fiziev made his promotional debut in the UFC on April 20, 2019, defeating Magomed Mustafaev at UFC Fight Night 149.

Unfortunately, Fiziev finished him off with a technical knockout.

Overall, Fiziev has yet to make a significant impact in the ring, despite the fact that he is only two years old for the UFC.

In addition, he defeated Sam Basten (KO with a flying knee in the first round).

Similarly, on October 26, 2019, he faced Alex White at UFC on ESPN+ 20 and won by unanimous decision.

Marc Diakiese vs. Rafael Fiziev

Rafael Fiziev will face Marc Diakese on July 19, 2020, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Fiziev was actually the replacement fighter for Alan Patrick in the main card lightweight match at the “Fight Island” festival.

They actually fought behind the quarantined doors of the Flash Forum venue.

Marc landed 73 of his 153 strikes during the fight, while Fiziev landed 82 of 128.

Fiziev demonstrated his leg kicks and a cheat-code kick-dodge in addition to his excellent defensive abilities.

Overall, Fizioev won by unanimous decision with scores of 30-28 and 29-28. (twice).

Following that, Fiziev accepted a $50,000 bonus check for producing the Fight of the Night award.

“I’m overjoyed with the victory… I’m overjoyed with my second UFC victory. I have a plan to break his heart, break his body, and demonstrate perfect technique and knowledge.

And I hope I don’t sustain any serious injuries, and that I can return before the new year.”-Fabian Fiziev

Renato Moicano vs. Rafael Fiziev

Rafael signed a four-year contract with the UFC on August 5, 2020, in between his fights.

After battling the global pandemic, Fiziev faced Renato Moicano at UFC 256: Figueiredo vs. Moreno, his final fight.

Renato Moicano vs. Rafael Fiziev

The fight was originally scheduled for November 28, 2020, at UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Lewis.

They rescheduled it, however, because Moicano tested positive for COVID 19.

The fight was apparently held in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was broadcast live on Prelims.

In total, Fiziev defeated Renato via TKO in the first round.

Meanwhile, Fiziev received his first Performance of the Night award, worth $50,000.

“Moicano is my toughest opponent to date, and the pressure I’m under now has only given me more energy.” It inspires me to grow and improve with each training session. I have a strong desire to fight him; I want to show myself and the rest of the world that I am capable of fighting and defeating opponents of this caliber.”-Fabian Fiziev (before the bout)

Similarly, Fiziev has yet to enter the octagon following the match.

However, in an interview, Fiziev stated that he does not want to fight with friends in his next fight.

Rafael Fiziev | In general, Fiziev is a well-rounded fighter whose foundation is Muay Thai.

He is currently training under George Hickman in Phuket, Thailand.

Fiziev also holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Stuart Cooper.

Among the 47 fights he has participated in, he has 39 wins in kickboxing.

Among the wins, 29 are by knockout, and 8 are by default.

Fiziev has advanced his MMA record by winning nine of his ten fights and losing one.

His victories also included six knockouts, two decisions, and one submission.

His only defeat was apparently by knockout.

He has won Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night once each during his time with the UFC.

While every fighter fights and wins for a specific reason, Fiziev has his own.

Fiziev claims that at the end of the fight, his only goal is to be recognized.

Indeed, he believes that fame and money will follow him after achieving his ultimate goal.

Furthermore, he aims to collect as many bonuses as possible during his fight.

“My goal is to always present a beautiful, worthy performance as well as an exciting fight.” I’m focused on giving the fans exciting performances and winning bonuses. It will eventually lead me to the title.”-Fabian Fiziev

Rafael Fiziev announced on his Instagram page in 2021 that he would no longer compete under the Kyrgyz flag.

Net Worth

The fighter has yet to reveal his net worth to the public. Rafael Fiziev’s net worth, on the other hand, is expected to be greater than $100,000.

In fact, the majority of his earnings come from his fights.

Fiziev earned nearly $78,000 in his fight with Marc Diakese in Abu Dhabi, with $12,000 guaranteed.

In addition, he received a $50,000 performance bonus and a $12,000 winning bonus.

In addition, he is expected to be paid $24,000 per fight.

Apparently, his profile also shows him as a coach, so he could make money from it.

Rafael Fiziev | Private Life

Rafael Fiziev is a registered police officer who graduated from a prestigious school, Kyrgyzstan’s Police Academy.

Fiziev, in fact, was following in his father’s footsteps after earning his law degree.

He began his career as a police officer but left after only a month. That was the point at which he decided to abandon his ten-year training in MMA.

As a result, Fiziev was fortunate to have a supportive family who respected his wishes.

Fiziev was soon doing exactly what his heart desired.

Apart from his octagon obsession, Fiziev enjoys blacksmithing. Fiziev’s handwork was inventive as he opened up.

In fact, he stated that he enjoys the cold feel of steel. Fiziev’s hobbies also include cooking.

Also, read: Gregorio Paltrinieri,                 Christoph Harting,              Franchy Cordero

Relationship Status, and Social Media

According to Fiziev, his nickname “Ataman” is a corruption of the word “leader,” which is commonly given to Cossack leaders.

People also refer to him as ‘The Matrix fighter,’ but he prefers to stick with Ataman.

Rafael Fiziev, on the other hand, is currently single and not dating anyone.

According to his social media profiles, he appears to be living a happy and single life to date.

We will update it as soon as there is a new relationship status.

You can also connect with him through personal uploads by visiting his social media platforms.

Rafael Fiziex has 208k followers on Instagram as @rafael ataman fiziev.

Similarly, Rafale “Ataman” Fiziev (@RafaelFiziev) has 12.6k followers on Twitter.