Rafael Fiziev is an Azerbaijani professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He was born in Korday, Kazakhstan to an Azerbaijani father and a Russian mother on March 5, 1993. He had an impressive Muay Thai career in which he has a record of 39-8. His fighting style earned him considerable traction among combat sports enthusiasts. His lean-back technique was praised by many on social media platforms.
Rafael Fiziev made his professional MMA debut in 2015 and fought in Road FC and Titan FC before signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He made his debut for the promotion on April 20, 2019, at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Oleinik against Magomod Mustafaev in a bout which he lost in the inaugural round via TKO. After an initial hiccup in his UFC career, Fiziev went on to score consecutive victories over Alex White, Marc Diakiese, Renato Moicano, Bobby Green, Brad Riddell, and Rafael Dos Anjos before encountering a loss at UFC 286 against Justin Gaethje.
Fiziev is ranked 11 in the UFC lightweight division and is scheduled to take on Ignacio Bahamondes on June 21, 2025. He has a professional MMA record of 12 wins and four losses while going into the fight.
Rafael Fiziev Nationality
Contrary to a popular belief, Rafael Fiziev is not Russian. He is an Azerbaijani national. Fiziev held Kyrgyzstani nationality until 2021.
Why did Rafael Fiziev leave Kyrgyzstan?
Rafael Fiziev left Kyrgyzstan due to religious discrimination in the country. The UFC lightweight contender stopped representing Kyrgyzstan in the UFC in 2021 and shifted to Phuket, Thailand. In the same year, he got Azerbaijani citizenship and started representing Azerbaijan in his fights.
Rafael Fiziev Religion
Rafael Fiziev is a Muslim who follows Shia Islam. He denounced his former country, Kyrgyzstan for having a discriminatory approach towards Shia Muslims. The 32-year-old mixed martial arts fighter announced on his now-deleted Instagram post that he won’t be representing Kyrgyzstan as a protest against the policies of Kyrgyzstan.
What does Ataman Fiziev mean?
Rafael Fiziev adopted the nickname “Ataman” and fights with the same in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as a mark of respect for his mixed Central Asian roots. Ataman was a title conferred upon Cossack and haidamak leaders. It was also used for supreme military commanders of the Cossack armies in the Russian Empire.
Last updated on June 11, 2025
FAQs on Rafael Fiziev
A. Rafael Fiziev was born in Korday, Kazakhstan.
A. Rafael Fiziev is a Muslim.
A. He represents Azerbaijan.
A. He has a professional MMA record of 12 wins and four losses as of June 11, 2025.
A. He fought Justin Gaethje in his most recent fight.
