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Justin Gaethje responds to Rafael Fiziev’s claim that he ‘ran away for two rounds’ during their UFC 286 fight

Justin Gaethje disagrees with Rafael Fiziev’s assessment of their entertaining clash at UFC 286. During a recent interview with…

Justin Gaethje disagrees with Rafael Fiziev’s assessment of their entertaining clash at UFC 286.

During a recent interview with John Hyon Ko for The AllStar, Fiziev reflected on his fight with Gaethje and accused ‘The Highlight’ of only finding success during their scrap due to an eye poke that severely affected his vision for the remainder of the bout.

“He ran away from me for two rounds!” Fiziev said. “He started to (beat) me only after eye poke, because my eye (couldn’t) see anything. There was a big white circle on my right eye all fight. I didn’t see anything with my right eye. He fought only good after the eye poke and round three when I started to tire.

“But he ran away two rounds. He run, run, run. Yeah, maybe my gameplan was sh*t and I did a lot of sh*t in this fight; didn’t listen to my corner, didn’t follow my gameplan. But still, he ran away for two rounds.”

Gaethje, who walked away from the fight with a majority decision victory and snapped Fiziev’s six-fight win streak, recently reacted to the comments, suggesting that he hit ‘Ataman’ so hard that he forgot the facts of the fight.

“Not a good look here,” Gaethje wrote in response to the clip on X. “I hit him so hard he forgot which eye got poked. Your right eye got torched by my right hand kid.”

Rafael Fiziev came up short in his follow-up fight against Mateusz Gamrot after suffering a leg injury in the second round in September. On the flip side, Gaethje earned a second-straight victory via a highlight-reel-worthy KO of Dustin Poirier at UFC 291 to claim the BMF title.

He puts the bragging-rights belt on the line at UFC 300 on April 13 when he meets featherweight fan favorite and former world champion Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway.

Rafael Fiziev reveals he waited 5 hours for injury treatment after last fight, urges UFC to ‘Care a little bit for fighters’

UFC lightweight contender, Rafael Fiziev has revealed he waited a lengthy five hours before he was treated for injuries suffered in his most recent Octagon walk against Justin Gaethje in London back in March, urging the organization to display some care for combatants on it’s roster. Fiziev, the current number six lightweight contender, suffered the […]

Fiziev, the current number six lightweight contender, suffered the snapping of his eye-catching six fight winning run against former interim champion, Justin Gaethje, dropping a close, majority decision loss to the Arizona native in the pair’s UFC 286 co-headliner.

Battling over the course of three gruelling rounds at The O2 Arena in the English capital, a bloody Rafael Fiziev suffered a close, debated majority decision loss, seeing his quest for a lightweight title affair halted by the former interim championship holder.

Travelling to a London medical facility in order to get his injuries seen to, Kazakhstan-born striker, Fiziev revealed recently that he was forced to stand in cue for a five hour period before his injuries were addressed.

“After this fight (with Justin Gaethje), I go into f*cking hospital in London and we stand five hours in the queue,” Rafael Fiziev told The AllStar during a recent interview. “And we’re waiting like when [the doctor] finish everything, [then] he do stitches for me, you know? And we wait five hours, bro, after this fight. Five hours I’m just sitting and waiting [for] something.”

“And [wait] for five hours for nothing,” Rafael Fiziev explained. “We’re tired and we say – doesn’t give a f*ck, we’re going [to the] hotel. Just UFC doctor, he’s coming and make a glue for me. But this glue is open the next day when I wash my face. That’s why – and the UFC London is, after this, after fight you [UFC] have to care a little bit about fighters. Little bit. Not stand in the queue for five hours, bro, after this fight.” (Transcribed by MMA News)

Rafael Fiziev has been linked with a return against Mateusz Gamrot this year

Yet to return to the Octagon since his pivotal loss to Gaethje earlier this year, Fiziev has been linked to a fight with former two-weight KSW champion, Polish contender, Mateusz Gamrot in his return to competition.

Throughout his Octagon tenure, Tiger Muay Thai staple, Fiziev has landed notable wins over the likes of Renato Moicano, Bobby Green, Brad Riddell, and stopped former undisputed lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos in his premiere headlining fight under the banner of the UFC.

Exclusive – Colby Covington rips Leon Edwards for rejecting London title fight in July: ‘It’s disgusting’

Former interim UFC welterweight champion, Colby Covington has hit out at upcoming opponent, current undisputed champion, Leon Edwards for rejecting the opportunity to defend his title on home soil in the UK later this summer, branding the Birmingham native “disgusting” for rejecting a homecoming. Covington, the current #2 ranked welterweight contender, has been sidelined since […]

Covington, the current #2 ranked welterweight contender, has been sidelined since headlining UFC 272 back in March of last year in a grudge match against Jorge Masvidal, defeating the Miami veteran in a one-sided unanimous decision victory.

Expected to return to the Octagon later this year in an undisputed welterweight title fight against champion, Edwards,Covington was initially lined up a for a July bout with the defending gold holder, however, the champion confirmed he would rather fight in October toward the end of this year instead.

Colby Covington takes aim at arch-rival Leon Edwards ahead of title clash

With the earmarked UFC 291 pay-per-view event now altered to a UFC Fight Night London billed card, Covington has labelled Edwards “disgusting” for taking another title fight headliner away from the UK contingent.

“That’s disgusting,” Colby Covington told LowKick MMA reporter, James Lynch in regards to Leon Edwards’ refusal to fight in London in July. “Those people, those fans over there in London – the most passionate, most diehard fans I’ve ever seen in my life, man. I respect those guys, have so much love for the UK and London. Man, those people are amazing.”

“The fact that Leon rejected a home date over there, and he thinks, ‘Oh, they’re not worthy of a pay-per-view, let them get a Fight Night.’” Oh, Leon, you think your people aren’t worthy of a f*cking main event, world championship, undisputed welterweight world title fight? You want them to have a Fight Night instead?” Colby Covington explained.

“Just the disrespect he has towards his own people, James, is disgusting. It would be like me turning down a home date in Maralago, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m not gonna be able to fight there.’ And I’m gonna have to call my friend Donald Trump and be like, ‘Yeah, Donald, I’m not gonna be able to fight on this home date and defend the land.’”

Off the back of UFC 288 last weekend, in which Belal Muhammad lodged a one-sided unanimous decision win over Gilbert Burns, the above-mentioned, Edwards stressed that the entirity of the welterweight ranks presented “light work” to him.

Kamaru Usman plans quickfire UFC return following string of losses: ‘I’m falling in love with the sport again’

Former undisputed UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman has admitted he has once again fallen in love with the sport of mixed martial arts, off the back of consecutive title fight losses against three-time opponent, Leon Edwards. Usman, who headlined UFC 286 last month in London, England – suffered a close, majority decision loss to the […]

Usman, who headlined UFC 286 last month in London, England – suffered a close, majority decision loss to the above-mentioned, Edwards in the pair’s championship trilogy rubber match, dropped from pound-for-pound number one rank in the UFC off the back of a thunderous KO loss to the Birmingham native back in August of last year.

Kamaru Usman confirms return may come in the next few months

Yet to book his Octagon return amid links to a fight with former welterweight title challenger, Stephen Thompson – who has since been booked to fight Michel Pereira at UFC 289, Usman admitted that his recent setbacks have reignited his love for the sport of mixed martial arts once again.

“It’s almost like people were more upset that I lost than I was,” Kamaru Usman said during a podcast appearance with Mike Tyson. “People were destroyed. I know that I’m the best welterweight, for sure, in the division, I know that. But I’m just in the place where I’m loving the sport again, falling love with the sport again. I’ve been training now and I just feel stronger. I’m doing certain things, and I’m liking that process again… When I look back on my journey to becoming champion… it was the journey.”

“I’m loving the process right now, and I’m loving falling in love with the sport again – to where, for me, I might just wanna pop out in the next couple months and beat somebody up again,” Kamaru Usman explained. “I’m really starting to feel that. But it’s on my own terms, now.” (Transcribed by MMA News)

Clinching the undisputed welterweight title back in March 2019 in a dominant, unanimous decision win over Tyron Woodley, Usman would go on to rack up consecutive successful title defenses over Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington – twice each, as well as former training partner, Gilbert Burns.

Justin Gaethje, Beneil Dariush makeshift fight suggested for UFC 288: ‘The winner gets a title shot’

Former two-weight UFC champion, Henry Cejudo has suggested a potential lightweight title-eliminator between former interim division champion, Justin Gaethje and Beneil Dariush for UFC 288 in two weeks’ time, as the latte now finds hismelf qithout an opponent for the Newark, New Jersey card. Cejudo, a former undisputed flyweight and bantamweight champion, returns to the […]

Cejudo, a former undisputed flyweight and bantamweight champion, returns to the Octagon for the first time following his 2020 retirement from active competition atop the pay-per-view event in the opening week of May – taking on undisputed bantamweight titleholder, Aljamain Sterling.

Initially, the flagship event in ‘The Garden State’ was slated to featured a high-stakes, title-eliminator between former champion, Charles Oliveira, and the above-mentioned surging contender, Dariush, however, a minor injury forced the former from proceedings.

The Sao Paulo native confirmed his intentions to potentially return to the Octagon the following month at UFC 289 in British Columbia, Canada, with Dariush receptive to the rebooking. However, as far as Cejudo is concerned, the Iranian should be matched up with former training partner, Justin Gaethje on short notice rather than remain sidelined.

“You guys want to have a great co-main event on a great card – why not Justin Gaethje?” Henry Cejudo said on his YouTube channel. “I guarantee you Justin Gaethje will step in. Do him vs. (Beneil) Dariush, [the] winner gets a title shot. There’s something that needs to be done and I do believe people need to do something to really step up if they really want to be that next person because if not, a whole damn year goes by and then you’re talking about who they’re gonna fight next.”

“As a competitor, if I was in that position I’d be the first person to raise my hand,” Cejudo continued. “‘Hey, I’m here to step up.’”

Justin Gaethje most recently featured just last month at UFC 286

Recently featuring in the co-main event of UFC 286 just last month in London, Arizona contender, Gaethje managed to halt the run of Rafael Fiziev with a back-and-forth majority decision victory.

As for Dariush, the Kings MMA staple has been sidelined since he landed another impressive victory at UFC 280 last October, defeating Polish contender, Mateusz Gamrot in a unanimous decision over the course of three rounds.

Following the cancellation of the UFC 288 co-headliner, the likes of Gilbert Burns has offered to fight former interim champion, Dustin Poirer in a welterweight affair on short-notice.

And one-time middleweight title challenger, Paulo Costa has offered to return to the light heavyweight limit for a brief excursion against former undisputed champion, Jan Blachowicz at the Prudential Center event.

Leon Edwards scoffs at UFC title fights with Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns: ‘There’s no contender’

Leon Edwards claims there is no distinct contender within the current welterweight pile who have earned their shot at his undisputed crown, including former interim champion, Colby Covington, and recent UFC 287 victor, Gilbert Burns. Edwards, the current undisputed welterweight champion, most recently headlined UFC 286 back in March in a championship trilogy rubber match […]

Edwards, the current undisputed welterweight champion, most recently headlined UFC 286 back in March in a championship trilogy rubber match against Kamaru Usman, landing a one-sided unanimous decision victory.

Initially expected to return to the Octagon at UFC 291 on July 22. – ahead of a planned London, England return for the promotion, Edwards has claimed he has no interest in making a return on that date.

Questioning the vality of the above-mentioned, Covington’s claim to a title opportunity against him next, Edwards stressed his preferall in a return in October at a planned UFC 294 event in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Leon Edwards claims there is no contender for him to defend his UFC title against

However, the Birmingham native has claimed when it comes to next opponents for him, neither Covington nor recent winner, Burns have done enough to warrant a challenge.

“At the moment in the division, there’s no clear number one contender,” Leon Edwards told Sky Sports. “Colby (Covington) is coming off two loses, one win. Gilbert (Burns) – similar. These guys are winning one fight, losing one fight, and then fighting for a world title. It’s a difficult time. Like I said, there’s no clear number one contender.”

“Colby being uninjured, sitting ton the sidelines, turning down fights for over a year,” Leon Edwards said. “Nobody else has done that and earned a title shot from doing that. That’s the why not – he hasn’t earned his position. You can’t sit out uninjured over a year turning down fights and then, okay, I want a title shot now. That’s never been done before. Now, I’m champion, I decide. Colby isn’t a champion. He don’t decide nothing.”

“If it’s Colby, then it’s Colby,” Leon Edwards explained. “It is what it is. The order – let’s say who’s next, Burns, Colby, Belal (Muhammad), whoever else. They’re all similar fights. They’re all going to come with the same game plan. It’s all the same. It’s not about the opponent. There’s not fear for Colby. There’s nothing that’s fearful of Colby.”