The UFC makes its return to Azerbaijan for an exciting Fight Night event headlined by a pivotal lightweight bout between the hometown hero, Rafael Fiziev, and Mexican finishing artist, Manuel Torres.
Set for this upcoming Saturday, June 27, at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, the event promises a thrilling night of MMA action. This is your guide on how to watch UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres, including the start times, the entire full fight card, and a detailed breakdown of the main event.
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Rafael Fiziev gets ready for his opponent to enter the UFC Octagon.(via Zuffa LLC)
How to Watch
Date: June 27, 2026
Streaming: For viewers in the United States, the event will stream exclusively on Paramount+
Main Card: 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT
Prelims: 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
Full Fight Card
Here is the complete lineup for UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres.
Main Card
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Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres (Lightweight)
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Shara Magomedov vs. Michel Pereira (Middleweight)
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Matheus Camilo vs. Nazim Sadykhov (Lightweight)
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Asu Almabayev vs. Charles Johnson (Flyweight)
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Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferreira (Middleweight)
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Abus Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (Middleweight)
Preliminary Card
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Farman Hasanov vs. Eric Nolan (Welterweight)
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Julius Walker vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (Light Heavyweight)
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Andrey Pulyaev vs. Nursulton Ruziboev (Middleweight)
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Kaan Ofli vs. Javier Reyes (Featherweight)
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Theodor Berggren vs. Daniil Donchenko (Welterweight)
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Bekzat Almakhan vs. Jean Matsumoto (Bantamweight)
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Tahir Abdullayev vs. Jefferson Nascimento (Welterweight)
Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres Breakdown
The main event is a fascinating stylistic clash in the lightweight division between the technical striker Rafael Fiziev and the heavy-handed finisher Manuel Torres.
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Fiziev is the more diverse and technical striker of the two, bringing a unique Muay Thai arsenal to the Octagon. Born in Kazakhstan and representing Azerbaijan, Fiziev will be fighting in friendly territory, which could be a significant boost.
Rafael Fiziev (right) lands a body kick on Justin Gaethje during their UFC 286 fight.(via Zuffa LLC)
His recent record includes losses to the division’s elite, including recently-crowned lightweight champ Justin Gaethje and Mauricio Ruffy. While a win here would halt his skid, Fiziev will still have more to prove as he is ranked No. 11 according to the UFC’s media panel rankings, and unranked in the UFC’s newly adopted Meta ranking system, which uses artificial intelligence.
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Fiziev’s opponent, Manuel Torres, is a powerhouse who has earned a reputation for finishing fights.
The Dana White’s Contender Series graduate has won all five of his UFC victories via stoppage, with every finish earning him a Performance of the Night bonus. His sole loss in the promotion was at the hands of Ignacio Bahamondes, who happens to be Fiziev’s most recent win.
Torres’s last win came in the first round against Grant Dawson:
Every single fight of his UFC career thus far has ended in the first round, emphasizing his all-or-nothing approach.
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The main event between Manuel Torres and Rafael Fiziev will be a fight between two men at the bottom of the lightweight division rankings, but the stakes are still high for both.
Whoever wins still has more work to do if they want to touch championship gold, but their fight is a good litmus test for both the surging Manuel Torres and the seasoned Rafael Fiziev. Given their individual styles, their clash at UFC Fight Night in Baku will surely be entertaining for both hardcore and casual fans alike.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the MMA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
