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Rafael Fiziev has received overwhelming support from fans after his hard-fought loss to Justin Gaethje in their UFC 313 rematch. Stepping in on short notice, Fiziev started strong but faded in the later rounds, ultimately losing by decision.
The co-main event, held on Mar 8, saw Fiziev take Gaethje down twice early and dominate striking exchanges with sharp clinch work and body shots. However, Gaethje responded in the second round with effective boxing and an uppercut that dropped Fiziev. The third round followed a similar pattern, with Gaethje maintaining control and landing heavy shots.
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In a heartfelt social media post following the loss, the Azerbaijani lightweight wrote:
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"Sorry guys I let you down and didn’t get the win. Congratulations to Justin, it was great to share the octagon with you."
Check out Rafael Fiziev's post below:
His humble admission spurred an outpouring of support from fans. One individual wrote:
"You did not let anyone down. Your stock just went up."
Another praised his warrior spirit, saying:
"Nobody took that fight except you at 155. Respect."
Check out some of the fan reactions below:
![Fans react to Rafael Fiziev's post. [Screenshot courtesy: X]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/6ec19-17415835634110-1920.jpg)
A look into Rafael Fiziev’s MMA career
Rafael Fiziev has made a name for himself in the UFC with his explosive striking and aggressive style. The Azerbaijani lightweight began his professional MMA journey in 2015, competing in promotions like ROAD FC and Titan FC before joining the UFC.
Fiziev made his UFC debut in April 2019 but suffered a first-round TKO loss to Magomed Mustafaev. He bounced back with a unanimous decision win against Alex White in October 2019. His breakthrough moment came in July 2020 when he defeated Marc Diakiese in a thrilling bout, earning his first Fight of the Night bonus.
His momentum continued with a highlight-reel knockout of Renato Moicano at UFC 256, securing a Performance of the Night award. Fiziev then engaged in wars against Bobby Green and Brad Riddell, winning both and adding more performance bonuses to his resume.
In 2022, he knocked out Rafael dos Anjos, proving himself among the division’s elite. However, setbacks followed, including losses to Justin Gaethje and Mateusz Gamrot.
