UFC Fight Night returns to Azerbaijan on June 27, putting hometown lightweight Rafael Fiziev in the main event against Mexican knockout artist Manuel Torres. The card also features a wild middleweight co-main event and a flyweight clash between two ranked contenders. Here is the full breakdown of Fiziev vs Torres Full Card Preview and predictions for UFC Baku event.
UFC Baku: Fiziev vs Torres Event Overview
UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres takes place Saturday, June 27, at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan. It marks the promotion’s second visit to the city, following last year’s debut event there. The card streams live on Paramount+, with prelims starting in the early morning US time and the main card following later that day.
This is also the first event under a new multi-year agreement between the UFC and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, which will bring Fight Night cards to Baku annually through 2028. The lineup carries a heavy regional flavor, with fighters from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Russia featured throughout.
Main Event Breakdown
Rafael Fiziev (13-5) headlines in front of a home crowd as the Azerbaijani-born former title contender looks to turn his career back around. Fiziev has dropped four of his last five fights dating back to 2022, including back-to-back losses to Justin Gaethje and a TKO defeat to Mauricio Ruffy earlier this year. His lone bright spot in that stretch came last June, when he beat Ignacio Bahamondes by decision in this same city.
Manuel Torres (17-3) enters as one of the lightweight division’s most dangerous finishers. Sixteen of his seventeen career wins have come in the first round, and he arrives off back-to-back stoppages of Drew Dober and Grant Dawson. Torres is a Contender Series product who has earned a bonus in every one of his UFC wins.
Stylistically, this is explosive against explosive. Fiziev’s Muay Thai background gives him the cleaner technical striking, with sharp kicks and tight combinations built over years of training at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket. Torres relies on raw power and an ability to end fights the moment he finds an opening. If Fiziev can use distance and timing the way he did against Bahamondes, he controls the fight. If Torres closes the gap early, this could be over fast.
Co-Main Event
Shara Magomedov (16-1) meets Michel Pereira (32-14) in this middleweight matchup built entirely on highlight-reel finishes. Magomedov is best known for a viral spinning backfist knockout of Armen Petrosyan, but he has not fought since October, when Joe Pyfer handed him his first UFC loss by submission. The eight-month layoff adds uncertainty to his return.
Pereira moved up from welterweight in 2023 and won three straight fights by first-round finish before dropping three in a row. He got back on track with a close split decision over Zach Reese earlier this year. Pereira re-signed with the UFC specifically to take this fight, which says a lot about how much it means to him.
Both men are unpredictable, aggressive, and willing to throw caution aside for a finish. This has all the makings of an early bonus contender.
Main Card Predictions
Brunno Ferreira vs. Ikram Aliskerov — Both are heavy-handed middleweights who can end a fight in seconds. Aliskerov’s wrestling pedigree gives him a path to control the fight if his striking does not land first.
Asu Almabayev vs. Charles Johnson — Johnson is the more experienced fighter in the flyweight division and has fought at a higher level of competition. Almabayev’s volume striking makes this competitive, but Johnson’s ranking and composure should carry him through three rounds.
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev vs. Julius Walker — Yakhyaev is unbeaten at 9-0 with three first-round finishes inside the UFC, including the fastest submission in modern light heavyweight history at 33 seconds. His sambo base and finishing instincts make him a serious threat in the light heavyweight rankings. Walker, despite a 7-2 record, is coming off a stoppage loss to Dustin Jacoby and faces a major step up in competition here.
Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Andrey Pulyaev — Ruziboev stands 6-foot-5 with a long, sprawling record built on finishes, including 13 knockouts among his 36 career wins. He has not fought since a missed-weight situation scrapped his planned bout last August, so ring rust is a factor. Pulyaev is younger and still finding his footing in the UFC after a tough start to his run.
Key Battles That Will Decide the Event
The biggest swing factor on this card is whether Fiziev can keep the fight at range against a finisher like Torres. Distance management decides the main event more than any single exchange. In the co-main, the question is whether Magomedov’s hand speed returns at full sharpness after his long layoff, or whether Pereira’s chaos and craft find an opening first. And in the Yakhyaev fight, his ability to close the distance early against an experienced striker like Walker will likely determine whether this ends quickly or turns into a longer grind.
Our Sharpest Pick of the Night
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev to finish Julius Walker inside the first round. Yakhyaev has finished three of his last four opponents in the opening round, including the fastest submission in UFC light heavyweight history. Walker has shown durability issues against high-level competition before, and Yakhyaev’s blend of sambo and heavy hands makes him one of the most dangerous early finishers on this entire card.
Conclusion
UFC Baku gives fans a main event built around redemption and a co-main event built around chaos. Fiziev gets a chance to silence doubts in front of his home fans, while Magomedov and Pereira look like a lock to deliver fireworks. Add in an unbeaten finisher like Yakhyaev looking to make a statement, and this card has the kind of stakes and style clashes that should keep fans engaged from the first fight to the last.
FAQs
When is UFC Baku: Fiziev vs. Torres?
The event takes place Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the National Gymnastics Arena in Baku, Azerbaijan. It streams live on Paramount+.
Who is fighting in the main event?
Rafael Fiziev faces Manuel Torres in a lightweight bout. Fiziev is fighting in front of his home fans in Azerbaijan, while Torres enters as one of the division’s most dangerous first-round finishers.
What is the co-main event of UFC Baku?
Shara Magomedov takes on Michel Pereira in a middleweight matchup. Both fighters are known for highlight-reel finishes, and Pereira re-signed with the UFC specifically to get this fight.
Is this the UFC’s first event in Azerbaijan?
No. This marks the promotion’s second visit to Baku, following its debut event in the city last year. It is also the first card under a new multi-year deal to bring annual Fight Night events to Azerbaijan through 2028.
