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Rafael Fiziev entered the octagon at UFC Vegas 44. The number 14 ranked lightweight took on former training partner Brad Riddell in an important fight.

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After very close two rounds, Fiziev took control of the fight in the third and landed a perfectly timed spinning wheel kick. The referee, Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight. With the win, ‘Ataman,’ is now on a five-fight win streak. During the post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, he was asked about who he would like to fight next. He said, “I don’t want to call someone, but give me three months and I’m ready for fight again. And we have one legend here, maybe he want to fight with me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, his name, Vince Vaughn.”

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“Yeah, I love him,” added Fiziev. Vaughn was earlier spotted by the cameras at the cage side, enjoying the fights at UFC Fight Night: Aldo vs. Font.

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Who’s next for Rafael Fiziev?

The Kazakhstan-born Kyrgyzstani fighter is on a great run and is a very dangerous fighter. He is currently on a five-fight win streak and will look for a bigger fish for his next fight. With the win over Riddell, he will jump up in rankings and will look for a top 10 fighter to fight next.

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With his power and skills, Fiziev is a real threat in the division. A couple of more wins against some of the bigger names in the lightweight division. He can push for a title shot. Conor McGregor is still out injured and Dan Hooker is switching his division. That will make his rise in rankings a bit easier.

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As far as Riddell is concerned, he would want to go back to the drawing board. He definitely is a strong contender in the division and will look to find momentum quickly. He was on a seven-fight win streak before the fight, with four wins coming in the UFC.

Do you think UFC should make Fiziev vs. Vaughn official? Who do you think he fights next? Let us know in the comments!

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WATCH THIS STORY – Jose Aldos Intense Training Routine for His Fight Against Rob Font

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Arunaditya Aima

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Arunaditya Aima is an editor at EssentiallySports, where he works to bring clarity and depth to sports storytelling through the pieces he edits. With a Master’s degree in Sports Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in the field, he combines newsroom discipline with a deep-rooted passion for sports. During his time at EssentiallySports, Arunaditya has taken on multiple roles across the editorial pipeline. He began as a writer covering Ultimate Fighting Championship before transitioning into editorial responsibilities, including serving as the primary editor for National Basketball Association coverage. His experience across writing and editing allows him to approach stories from both a narrative and structural perspective. Before his editorial work in digital sports media, Arunaditya worked as a producer at Firstpost under the Network18 Group umbrella, gaining experience in newsroom production and broadcast-oriented storytelling. Across roles, he focuses on refining sports coverage through strong editorial judgment, attention to detail, and a commitment to presenting the game in ways that resonate with readers.

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