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Rafael Fiziev can't seem to catch a break. After losing to Justin Gaethje in a competitive but ultimately convincing fashion, he sought to rebound with a win over fellow new-generation lightweight Mateusz Gamrot. Their bout was billed as a classic striker vs. wrestler clash and drew tremendous intrigue.
While it got off to an action-packed start – and Rafael Fiziev looked sharp on the feet and just as slick in the grappling scrambles – he suffered his second consecutive loss. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't a traditional loss. Instead, Fiziev lost via TKO after sustaining an injury in the second round.
Specifically, the lightweight contender tore his left ACL during an awkward turn when retracting his right leg from a kick to the body. The former Muay Thai fighter collapsed immediately and is now looking at a lengthy road to recovery. Recently, Rafael Fiziev took to X to update fans on his injury:
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"Just done surgery on my left acl. Same injury I had 3 years ago. I will come back even stronger. Recovery starts now. Thanks for the support"
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Whether the previous injury was sustained on the same leg remains unknown. Regardless, the earliest date for Fiziev's possible octagon return is late 2024, given the recovery timeline for ACL injuries.
Ligament tears are common among explosive athletes, whose athleticism is a double-edged sword, as quick changes in direction cause wear and tear. This is especially the case with the knees, as they are under constant mechanical stress.
Rafael Fiziev's last UFC win
While no one could have predicted that in 2023 Rafael Fiziev would be nursing a serious injury after being on the wrong end of a two-fight skid, 'Ataman' was once on a long win streak. He had strung together six consecutive wins, with his last win being over Rafael dos Anjos.
The two men crossed swords at UFC Vegas 58 in a thriller of a bout that ended with a brutal knockout in the fifth round. It remains Fiziev's highest profile win, as dos Anjos is a former UFC lightweight champion.
