Michael Chiesa doesn’t think Manuel Torres will pass the Rafael Fiziev test at UFC Fight Night 280.
Chiesa, who serves as lead desk analyst for Saturday’s event at National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan (Paramount+) is curious to see how the lightweight headliner will unfold as Fiziev (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) looks to defend home turf against surging contender Torres (17-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC).
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Through six octagon appearances, Torres has yet to see a second round. Fiziev has shared the cage with the best at 155 pounds, including two Fight of the Night battles with current champ Justin Gaethje, so it will be a telling affair, and Chiesa is curious to see how Torres approaches it.
“I’m leaning Fiziev. I think the more you look at Torres last two fights – (Drew) Dober made the mistake of setting his feet right in front of Torres and he was able to pull the trigger and run him down,” Chiesa told MMA Junkie. “He learned his lesson in the Ignacio Bahamondes fight that he can’t just run these guys down in a straight line. I think he’s getting smarter about calculating his pressure, and when he knocked out Grant Dawson – Grant Dawson just got lost in the exchange and took his eyes off him and Torres was just smart and picked a good shot.
“I just think for Fiziev, he’s going to be able to have the ability to stand in his kickboxing range, which is a lot shorter than Torres’. And he’s always moving and changing stances and I think at some point he can mix in the takedowns if need be. So I’m definitely leaning towards Fiziev in this fight.”
Regardless of which way it goes, Chiesa said he is expecting the event to conclude on a high note. He thinks Fiziev vs. Torres is perfect matchmaking for both points in their respective careers, and there’s a good chance one or both men leave with bonus money.
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“This is a banger at 155,” Chiesa said. “If people aren’t excited about this fight, just tune in and watch. It’s going to surpass any of your expectations. I think this is one of the funnest fights you can make at 155 right now. Torres is a fucking buzzsaw.”
To hear more from Chiesa, check out his complete appearance on “The Bohnfire” podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn above.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Analyst: Rafael Fiziev beats ‘f**king buzzsaw’ Manuel Torres at UFC Baku
