Credit:Getty/UFC
Credit: Getty/UFC
It was a blend of mixed emotions for Rafael
Fiziev following his latest triumph, a third-round knockout of
Brad
Riddell in the UFC
on ESPN 31 co-main event Saturday night.
After all, Fiziev and Riddell are friendly from crossing paths in
Thailand, where both lightweights have served as coaches for the
vaunted Tiger Muay Thai camp. Riddell previously held that
position, while Fiziev is currently in the role.
“I don’t know if I’m sad or I’m happy, because it’s not so good
when your friend’s like that,” Fiziev said. “Of course, I’m happy,
and sad, and happy. I don’t know.”
Regardless of the feelings that followed, Fiziev’s finish was a
thing of beauty. He forced Riddell to circle to his right, then
unleashed a spinning wheel kick that connected to the side of his
opponent’s head. Riddell stumbled forward and fell to the canvas
while unsuccessfully trying to grab a leg, prompting Herb Dean to
step in and wave off the fight.
“I wait for this third round,” Fiziev said. “When I started to put
him to the cage, I see when he goes right, he every time drops his
hands, and I’m just thinking I need to do a spinning backfist or a
spinning back-kick. I make spinning back-kick.”
Prior to the stoppage, the bout was very competitive, but Fiziev
was gradually beginning to take control. It was the Kyrgyzstan
native’s second KO in UFC competition and his fifth straight win in
the Octagon. Fiziev claims he never hunts for highlight-reel
finishes, however, and he was fairly nonchalant about his latest
effort.
“I never find knockouts in my fights, and I never try to make a
knockout, and I never believe this before a fight,” he said. “I
wanted from him damage, and I took it. I go to my kitchen today,
and I try to cook something.
Once Fiziev was able to make peace with the idea of squaring off
against someone he liked, it became just another fight, one that
should propel him forward in the 155-pound rankings.
“I feel uncomfortable when I started,” Fiziev admitted. “Not too
much. I understand this is a real fight. Maybe he would knock me
out, but it’s still a little bit uncomfortable.”
Even with a masterpiece of a finish, Fiziev still sees plenty of
room for improvement as his UFC career progresses.
“It’s beautiful KO or TKO. It’s beautiful …I still don’t like many
moments in the fight,” he said. “I still need growing. I still need
work.”