UFC Baku live blog: Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres

Rafael Fiziev stopped Manuel Torres with a devastating second-round knockout at UFC Baku on Saturday, halting a troubling skid that threatened to derail his lightweight title ambitions.

Fiziev, ranked inside the global top 15 at 155 pounds, entered the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan facing genuine questions about his future after dropping four of his last five fights, including a February knockout loss to Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 325. The Azerbaijani fighter's struggles came after a remarkable six-fight winning streak and consecutive losses to elite competition in Justin Gaethje, Ruffy, and Ottman Azaitar, the latter via injury.

Torres, meanwhile, arrived as a rising contender. The 17-3 fighter had won five of six UFC bouts since earning his contract through Dana White's Contender Series in 2021, including back-to-back first-round knockouts of Grant Dawson and Drew Dober. The lightweight division's depth meant both men had plenty to prove.

The fight itself proved decisive. Torres controlled the opening round with a sharp jab that kept Fiziev at bay, landing clean strikes and footwork that impressed ringside observers. But in the second round, Fiziev uncorked a spinning kick that partially connected and wobbled Torres. The follow-up barrage forced referee Marc Goddard to step in just 15 seconds into the round.

Post-fight, a visibly emotional Fiziev revealed he'd struggled with vision issues in the first round, seeing double. Rather than adapt cautiously, he threw caution aside in the second with the spectacular spinning kick that ultimately ended the bout. He joked about earning a performance bonus and purchasing a Harley Davidson, then called for the BMF belt—a fitting end-note to a comeback performance that may have saved his title run.