UFC Baku results: Rafael Fiziev delivers hellacious wheel kick knockout of Manuel Torres in main event

Rafael Fiziev delivered exactly what was needed—a statement victory in front of his home crowd. The Azerbaijan lightweight faced Manuel Torres in Saturday's UFC Baku main event and seized the moment with a brilliant second-round finish. After a competitive opening round where Torres kept pace and even landed some stinging shots, Fiziev came out aggressively in Round 2 and unleashed a spinning wheel kick that wobbled his opponent. He quickly followed up with vicious ground-and-pound, forcing referee Marc Goddard to step in and halt the action just 15 seconds into the second round. Fiziev (14-5) entered the bout on a difficult stretch, losing two of his past four fights—including back-to-back defeats to current undisputed lightweight champion Justin Gaethje and Mauricio Ruffy, who knocked him out at UFC 325 in January. The victory halts that slide and provides crucial momentum heading forward. An emotional Fiziev called for a shot at the "BMF" championship following his victory. Torres (17-4), a Mexican standout, exited the first round for only the first time in his UFC tenure, marking just his second time surviving the opening frame in his entire professional career. The loss represents his second setback in the promotion.