If Rafael
Fiziev is going to fight again in 2022, it won’t be until the
end of the year.
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The surging lightweight suffered a broken nose in his fifth-round
knockout victory against Rafael dos
Anjos this past Saturday and will require surgery. “Ataman” is
expected to undergo the procedure on Wednesday and is targeting a
return by November or December. Ariel Helwani was first to
report Fiziev’s injury.
Fiziev referenced a possible injury following his win over dos
Anjos at the UFC on ESPN 39 post-fight press conference on Saturday
night.
“This is first time in 20 years of fighting and he broke my nose,”
Fiziev said then. “I can’t breathe now. I think I might need to go
to hospital and need surgery.”
Fiziev also called for a fight with two-time title challenger
Justin
Gaethje. If that comes to fruition, it won’t be until the end
of 2022 at the earliest. Fiziev has won six consecutive fights in
UFC competition, currently the fourth-longest active winning streak
within the Las Vegas-based promotion.