The knockout win over “RDA” was Fiziev’s break into the division’s elite, earning him a date with now-interim champion Justin Gaethje. Fiziev fought well but ultimately lost via decision to “The Highlight,” nothing to hang one’s head about. However, Fiziev suffered a knee injury against Mateusz Gamrot in his next fight, which kept him out of the Octagon until March 2025 when he stepped in on short notice for a rematch against Gaethje, ultimately losing once again on the scorecards. The 32-year-old found himself on a 3-fight skid, but he rectified that with a sharp decision win over Ignacio Bahamondes in Baku.
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That victory solidified his shaky standing in the division’s top-10, and with the title picture quite crowded at the moment, cultivating some momentum with back-to-back wins could position “Ataman” well later in 2026.
Mauricio Ruffy
When “One Shot” arrived in the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2023, his Fighting Nerds teammate and UFC middleweight contender Caio Borralho told anyone who would listen, Ruffy was That Guy. Through three trips to the Octagon, those words seemed prophetic as the Brazilian scored three wins and two knockouts, including one of the best of 2025 when he landed a wheel kick on King Green at UFC 313.
