Lightweight action at UFC 325 saw Muay Thai striker Rafael Fiziev paired up with Fighting Nerd team member Mauricio Ruffy.
A week earlier, Jean Silva had got The Fighting Nerds back on track. Ruffy was next up from the Brazilian camp, looking to bounce back from a loss to Benoit Saint-Denis.
Fiziev was entering off a June victory over Ignacio Bahamondes.
Fiziev held center early, while Ruffy stayed outside, using lateral movement to stay out of range. He got a little too close to the fence, and had to jog away and reset. Fiziev crashed forwards swinging, and Ruffy escaped. An outside leg kick landed for Fiziev, and Ruffy fanned on a kick, more of a knee. Fiziev, for the most part, looked tight, while Ruffy appeared to watch to catch his opponent on the way in, or with a counter. Ruffy would fire a couple of hooks that found the mark. He followed up with a head kick, blocked, with a punch trailing it.
Ruffy had a much better back half to the opening round. In the second, Fiziev worked leg kicks, and Ruffy once again stayed on the outside. His legs were starting to show damage, Fiziev’s leg kicks piling up. Fiziev was doing a good job cutting off the cage, hemming Ruffy in and keeping him in range. Ruffy flashed a right hand, and Fiziev fired a spinning kick up high. He slipped off it, but was quickly back in position.
The round was fairly even, the pair trading single shows, until a right hand rocked Fiziev! Ruffy chased, landing another, and Fiziev went down! Under a minute in round two, and Ruffy was all over Fiziev, who was still on skates. He stumbled back to the fence, Ruffy went in for a few more blows, and the ref waved it off!
An impressive win for Mauricio Ruffy, who gets back in the win column and continues a solid start for The Fighting Nerds in 2026.
Official Result: Mauricio Ruffy def. Rafael Fiziev by TKO, Round 2, 4:30
