The UFC ventured to Baku, Azerbaijan for just the second time in its history on Saturday, the first time featuring Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree in the main event and Rafeal Fiziev taking on Ignacio Bahamondes. Well, the hometown favorite in Rafeael Fiziev was victorious once against, this time in the main event slot over (#13) Manel Torres. In the co-main event, one of the four middleweight bouts on the card, between Shara Magomedov and Michel Pereira saw Pereira falling back into the losing column. This six-fight main card also featured multiple other ranked fighters, so this edition of losers matchmaking will produce so pivotal matchups.
Manuel Torres
Rafael Fiziev proved he belonged back in the win column with his highlight reel second round finish over (#13) Manuel Torres in the main event of UFC Baku on Saturday. Torres, who appeared on the 2021 season of the Contender Series has now gone 5-2 with the UFC. Manuel hasn’t seen the final bell in his career with the promotion yet. All of his wins are first round performance winning stoppages. And Manuel’s other loss came in September of 2024 to Ignacio Bahamondes in the first round of their bout.
Menuel’s next fight should be against a man he’s already been scheduled against, Beneil Dariush. This is a pick that was featured on a previous edition of losers and in this scenario, it’s aged well. The pair were supposed to fight in April of this year, before Torres withdrew. Beneil fought Quillan Salkilld instead and was finished in the first round in early May. Dariush has now lost four of his last five but had ripped off an 8-fight win streak before that. Not to mention those other three losses were to Charles Oliveira, Arman Tsarukyan and Benoit Sanit Denis. This is a good fight to determine who is worthy of staying within the rankings at lightweight between a young gun and a proven vet. Timing works too and this could be a co main of a fight night card, easy.
Torres’s next fight: Beneil Dariush
Michel Pereira
Shara Magomedov bested Michel Pereira in a break-neck back-and-forth middleweight standup battle in the co main event. Michel has now lost 4 of his last five bouts. He’s now 10-6 with the UFC and 4-4 since moving from welterweight in 2023. This has been a rough stretch for Michel as he’s been finished by Anthony Hernandez and Kyle Daukaus during 5-fight line up. Abus Magomedov is the other fighter Michel dropped a unanimous decision to. Only victory was Zach Reese by spit decision back in February.
Michel should take on the loser of Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Brad Tavares. That fight is schedule for July 18th so the timing would be great. At this point, Pereira has all but solidified himself as a middleweight gate keeper. MAB has almost everyone at middleweight and is purely a “bombs-away” fighter with a 6-10, 1 NC record within the UFC. He’s on a two-fight skid losing a pair of unanimous decisions to Shara Magomedov and Mical Oleksiejczuk. Pereira has already fought Oleksiejczuk and defeated him back in _____. But long story short, MAB has also lost four of his last five. Brad Tavares is a 16-year UYFC vet with a record of 16-12. He’s lost four of his last five too. He’s on a 2-fight skid, getting finished by Robert Bryczek then dropping a unanimous decision to Eryk Anders in March. give Pereira the loser. Guaranteed action at a similar level of competition and fresh matchups.
Pereira’s next fight: Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Brad Tavares loser
Nazim Sadykhov
Matheus Camilo landed a picture perfect straight right dropping Nazim Sadyhkhov before leaping on him to violently finish the job on Saturday. Nazim’s losing streak now climbs to two as the 2022 Contender Series veteran was coming off a second-round stoppage to Fares Ziam last December. Sadykhov is now 4-2-1 with the promotion, though he still has notable wins over names like, Evan Elder, Terrance McKinney, Ismael Bonfim, and Nikolas Motta.
Perfect next fight for Nazim would be the loser of the Mike Davis vs. Nurullo Aliev fight. That fight is scheduled for July 25th so not bad for the timing. Davis is 5-2 in the UFC, and his last loss was to Fares Ziam back in February of 2025. Aliev is 11-0 as a pro and 3-0 within the promotion. He’s got wins over Rafel Alves, Joe Solecki and Shem Rock. If Mike gives Nurullo his first loss, then Nazim would be the perfect follow up. And if the fight has the other outcome, Nazim and Mike have had the same opponent and outcome recently. Good booking here and could sneak onto the main card of a fight night too.
Sadykhov’s next fight: Mike Davis vs. Nurullo Aliev loser
Charles Johnson
(#7) Asu Almabayev waited until the late in the third round of his one-sided performance to pull off a nasty suloev stretch in one of the most painful submissions UFC fans have watched in recent history. Devastating outcome for (#15) Charles Johnson who is now 8-7 with the promotion and has bounced between the win and loss columns in his last six bouts. Win over Sumudaerji, a loss to Ramazan Temirov, then the first fight to beat Lone’er Kavanagh. After that, stopped in the first by Alex Perez back in January before turning around and beating Bruno Silva via split decision less than two months later.
Charles should fight Jose Ochoa in his next fight. Ochoa is 9-2 within the UFC and has lost unanimous decisions to Lone’er Kavanah and Asu Almabayev. Ochoa’s UFC victories included a bonus winning second round finish over Cody Durden and his last outing a unanimous decision victory over Claytopn Carpenter in May. Giving Ochoa Charles as he’s coming off a win makes more sense as Johnson was rounding out the flyweight rankings heading into UFC Baku. This one could be on the prelims of a numbered card or main card of fight night card.
Johnson’s next fight: Jose Ochoa
Brunno Ferreira
Ikram Aliskerov defeated Brunno Ferreira on the main card of UFC Baku on Saturday in a strategically fought victory. Ferreira has now lost two in a row, falling to a 6-4 record with the promotion since being singed off the 2022 season of the Contender Series.
Brunno’s next fight should be against Michal Oleksiejczuk. Veering away from a previous losers pick here of Edmen Shahbazyan, thought Edmen would make a great backup. Brunno is on a downward slide but has fought some exceptional guys (Marvin Vettori, Gregory Rodrigues). Brunno also has a submission loss at the hands of Abus Magomedov, but it came in October of 2024. Ferreira needs to prove he can stop the slide and deserves to fight for spot within the rankings at middleweight. Michal might do that a little faster for him than Edmen, but again, just fine as a second option.
Ferreira’s next fight: Michal Oleksiejczuk or Edmen Shahbazyan
Michal Oleksiejczuk
Abus Magomedov craftily weathered some powerful strikes early to secure a guillotine choke late in the first round on Saturday. Michal, who was riding a 3-fight winning streak, now falls to 10-8-1 within the UFC. Oleksiejczuk is quickly becoming one of those fighters that has taken on nearly everyone. His win streak was a couple of wins away from bringing him out of his gatekeeper status as well.
Michal’s next fight should be against Brunno Ferreira who also competed on the card. The timing would be excellent, the two have a common opponent and are at around the same level currently. Good backup here for Michal would be a bout against Mantas Kondratavicius. Mantas is 1-0 in the UFC and got his shot with the promotion off of his performance on the 2025 season of the Contender Series. Mantas defeated Antonio Trocoli back in March via unanimous decision in his promotional debut. Michal would be a good litmus test for the newcomer.
Oleksiejczuk’s next fight: Brunno Ferreira or Mantas Kondratavicius
