Manuel Torres’ bid to join the upper tier of the lightweight elite was rejected at UFC Fight Night 280 courtesy of Rafael Fiziev.
After ripping through the competition in the opening round to secure his first octagon headliner, Torres (17-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) was thoroughly beaten on Saturday with a second-round knockout defeat to Fiziev (14-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) at National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan.
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It was a tough lesson for the Mexican fighter, but one he is taking with a positive perspective. Torres’ manager, César Lince of UPPER Sports Management, issued a statement noting his athlete is “in good spirits” and is “hungrier than ever” on the back end of a brutal defeat (via Instagram):
