Latest news with #Bahamondes
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC on ABC 8 results: Rafael Fiziev snaps three-fight skid vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
Rafael Fiziev was in desperate need of a victory at UFC on ABC 8, and he got the job done against Ignacio Bahamondes to snap a three-fight skid. Although his previous defeats came to the elite in Justin Gaethje twice and Mateusz Gamrot, it was an important moment for Fiziev (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC), who mixed up his striking and grappling well over three rounds against Bahamondes (17-6 MMA, 6-3 UFC) for the unanimous decision win with three 30-27 scorecards in the lightweight contest at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. The opening round was somewhat tentative, with Fiziev and Bahamondes both working to find their range and score something of significance. There were many kicks exchanged, and in between them some clean punches landed but nothing that appeared to hurt either athlete. Advertisement Bahamondes changed course to start the second round by shooting for an early takedown that was shut down by Fiziev. Bahamondes tried to push Fiziev into the cage but it was largely ineffective, but it opened up more striking opportunities when they got back to range. With a little more than a minute remaining Fiziev turned the tide and got two takedowns then landed a hard punch late that sent Bahamondes to his backside. With a chance to secure the win in the final round, Fiziev picked up his pace and started to land with more consistency. Bahamondes obliged to his desired range and more landed straight punches, his most effective blow of the fight, but Fiziev took them all well. Fiziev closed the fight strong with a final takedown and some ferocious punches on the mat. After getting his hand raised for the first time since July 2022, Fiziev expressed his desire to climb back up toward the top of the lightweight rankings. "I'm happy to represent my homeland here," Fiziev said through an interpreter in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. "I don't know (who is next). I'm a rocket man. You can send me to the moon." Up-to-the-minute UFC on ABC 8 results: This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Baku results: Rafael Fiziev snaps skid vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC on ABC 8 results: Rafael Fiziev snaps three-fight skid vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
Rafael Fiziev was in desperate need of a victory at UFC on ABC 8, and he got the job done against Ignacio Bahamondes to snap a three-fight skid. Although his previous defeats came to the elite in Justin Gaethje twice and Mateusz Gamrot, it was an important moment for Fiziev (13-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC), who mixed up his striking and grappling well over three rounds against Bahamondes (17-6 MMA, 6-3 UFC) for the unanimous decision win with three 30-27 scorecards in the lightweight contest at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. The opening round was somewhat tentative, with Fiziev and Bahamondes both working to find their range and score something of significance. There were many kicks exchanged, and in between them some clean punches landed but nothing that appeared to hurt either athlete. Bahamondes changed course to start the second round by shooting for an early takedown that was shut down by Fiziev. Bahamondes tried to push Fiziev into the cage but it was largely ineffective, but it opened up more striking opportunities when they got back to range. With a little more than a minute remaining Fiziev turned the tide and got two takedowns then landed a hard punch late that sent Bahamondes to his backside. With a chance to secure the win in the final round, Fiziev picked up his pace and started to land with more consistency. Bahamondes obliged to his desired range and more landed straight punches, his most effective blow of the fight, but Fiziev took them all well. Fiziev closed the fight strong with a final takedown and some ferocious punches on the mat. After getting his hand raised for the first time since July 2022, Fiziev expressed his desire to climb back up toward the top of the lightweight rankings. "I'm happy to represent my homeland here," Fiziev said through an interpreter in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. "I don't know (who is next). I'm a rocket man. You can send me to the moon." Up-to-the-minute UFC on ABC 8 results:
New York Post
21-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
UFC Baku predictions: Full card picks for Fight Night in Azerbaijan
Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission if you sign up through our links. Read our editorial standards for more information. The UFC is on the trail to the Middle East. Just less than 500 miles away from Tehran, Iran, we'll have a highly entertaining UFC card with 12 fights on it. It's a crazy time to be a UFC fan, as we get the second loaded pay-per-view card of the month next week. UFC Baku comes at you early Saturday, beginning at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2, and the main card will go off at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. A massive audience is expected with six of the 12 fights projected to the distance, according to oddsmakers — although five of the first six fights are projected to do so, meaning it could be a slow start to the day. UFC Baku Azerbaijan predictions Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. In the heavyweight division, Jamahal 'Sweet Dreams' Hill faces off against Khalil Rountree Jr. with this fight now being lined as a pick 'em, according to most oddsmakers. On Wednesday, Hill was an underdog and among my best bets on the card. Frankly, he is still there for me, even if some of the value has evaporated as we approach the weekend. Hill is coming off two competitive losses. Rountree was beaten down last time out against Alex Pereira in one of the more brutal and violent displays we've seen in the octagon of late. Jamahal Hill works out for fans and media during the UFC Fight Night open workout at Dinamo Square on June 18, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Zuffa LLC Rountree looked like a punching bag as he got to the third and fourth rounds of that fight. Looking at his schedule, his best wins are over Dustin Jacoby — a decision that I hated at the time and don't think he earned upon a re-watch — and a victory over now-retired Anthony Smith. Rountree isn't worth betting as a slight favorite, and Hill is the play this weekend. PICK: Jamahal Hill ML (-102, FanDuel) | by KO/TKO (+240, DraftKings) Rafael Fiziev is a master at landing body strikes. Getty Images Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes Coming off three straight losses, Rafael Fiziev faces Ignacio Bahamondes. Two strikers are coming into Saturday night's co-main event tilt, and it should be fascinating to see how Fiziev recovers after the beatdown he received at the hands of Justin Gaethje. When reviewing tape, though, I think Fiziev is a solid matchup for Bahamondes. Bahamondes is much taller, but kicks have seldom been an issue for Fiziev and his strikes to the body pose an imminent threat to Bahamondes as this fight pushes forward. Fiziev should be able to utilize kicks to the body and legs to immobilize Bahamondes a bit, and I have a tough time backing the favorite here considering his strength of schedule is far below that of Fiziev. Fiziev was once considered a title contender and just because he's not the same level of striker as Gathje, it doesn't mean he should be an underdog Saturday. PICK: Fiziev by decision (+260, FanDuel) Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps UFC full card picks Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.: Jamahal Hill ML (-102, FanDuel) | by KO/TKO (+240, DraftKings) Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes: Fiziev by decision (+260, FanDuel) Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev: Fight starts round 2 (-290, Fanatics Sportsbook) Tofiq Musayev vs. Myktybek Orolbai: Orolbai by KO/TKO (+500, Bet365) Nazim Sadykhov vs. Nikolas Motta: Sadykhov by decision (+370, FanDuel) Muhammad Naimov vs. Bogdan Grad: Fight ends by KO/TKO (+130, DraftKings) Seokhyeon Ko vs. Oban Elliott: Fight goes the distance (-116, FanDuel) Ismail Naurdiev vs. JunYong Park: Naurdiev ML (+165, Caesars Sportsbook) Daria Zhelezniakova vs. Melissa Mullins: Fight goes the distance (+120, BetMGM) Irina Alekseeva vs. Klaudia Sygula: Fight goes the distance (-125, BetRivers) Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Azat Maksum: Ulanbekov by decision (-110, Bet365) Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Mohammed Usman: Fight doesn't go the distance (+160, BetRivers) Why Trust New York Post Betting Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he's showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.
USA Today
21-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes prediction, pick, start time for UFC on ABC 8
Rafael Fiziev and Ignacio Bahamondes meet Saturday in the co-main event of UFC on ABC 8 at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. Last event: 5-1 UFC main cards, 2025: 57-44-1 Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes UFC Baku preview Fiziev (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) will look to end the roughest stretch of his pro career, as he comes in on a three-fight skid. While the results haven't been on his side, he's been extremely competitive, taking home Fight of the Night bonuses in two fights against Justin Gaethje. The other loss on this run was an unfortunate injury TKO loss against Mateusz Gamrot. Prior to those three fights, Fiziev racked up six straight wins, earning bonuses in five of them. ... Bahamondes (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has been no stranger to extra checks on fight night. He comes in opposite of Fiziev, running hot on a three-fight winning streak, all by first-round finish. Not only did Bahamondes make quick work of Christo Giagos, Manuel Torres and Jalin Turner, he also earned Performance of the Night bonuses for each finish. Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes UFC Baku expert pick, prediction The co-main event on ABC features a striker's delight at lightweight between Rafael Fiziev and Ignacio Bahamondes. Although this seems like a tough spot for Fiziev, given that he's technically coming off three losses, his recent resume has more to it than meets the eye. Aside from one of his losses coming by injury, Fiziev had a quiet argument for winning his first encounter with Justin Gaethje before being booked for a senseless rematch on short notice with "The Highlight" after an extended layoff due to said injury. To Fiziev's credit, he showed noted efforts of improvement in his last fight with Gaethje from both pacing and grappling perspectives – which could come in handy against Bahamondes. I've been a big fan of Bahamondes and his improvements when it comes to both counterstriking and counter-grappling. That said, I'm not sure he can count on commanding the grappling exchanges with a national champion in combat sambo like Fiziev. I also suspect that Fiziev's speed, bodywork and ability to counter in combination will also provide problems for Bahamondes from a stylistic perspective. It's a dangerous fight for Fiziev, but I'll officially side with him to either stop Bahamondes with a body kick or beat him on the scorecards. Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes UFC Baku odds Despite the oddsmakers initially opening the Azerbaijan representative as the favorite, public money has flipped the betting line, listing Bahamondes -124 and Fiziev +102 via FanDuel. Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes UFC Baku start time, how to watch As the co-main event, Fiziev and Bahamondes are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 5:10 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ignacio Bahamondes promises fireworks against Rafael Fiziev: 'I'm willing to die in there'
Don't blink when Ignacio Bahamondes and Rafael Fiziev fight at UFC on ABC 8. Bahamondes (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) meets Fiziev (12-4 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in Saturday's co-main event (ABC, ESPN, ESPN+) at Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan. Advertisement With Fiziev coming from a muay Thai background, and eight of his 12 professional wins coming by knockout, Bahamondes guarantees a banger of a fight – but plans on showing he's a different level. "Fiziev is a striker just like me," Bahamondes told MMA Junkie. "I think wherever he is good, I'm way better than him. On the ground, after my fight with Jalin Turner, my ground game has been exceeding its limit. My ground game is every time more dangerous, but I would love to take this fight to the three rounds. I would like to dominate my opponent for three rounds so I have time to show everything I got, everything I got in my arsenal, and take him to school for three rounds. "It's going to be fireworks for three rounds, five minutes, whatever the fight lasts. It's going to be fireworks. You know Fiziev doesn't play, he goes to fight, and you know I don't play either. I'm going to stand in there, and I'm going to try and finish him. So, it's going to be exciting to see that fight how it goes because I'm willing to die in there. So, I hope he's there and ready to die, too." A win over Fiziev will give Bahamondes an opportunity to enter the UFC's lightweight rankings, and he has big goals should things go according to plan. Advertisement "I think I deserve a top 10, and after this fight, it's going to be the beginning of my title run," Bahamondes said. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Baku: Ignacio Bahamondes 'willing to die' vs. Rafael Fiziev
