It just doesn’t look like Rafael Fiziev will ever get a break. After suffering a defeat at the hands of Justin Gaethje in a bout that was intense but finally decided in the fighter’s favor, he looked to bounce back with a victory over another new-generation lightweight, Mateusz Gamrot. Their fight was advertised as a classic showdown between wrestlers and strikers, so there was a lot of anticipation surrounding it.
Despite the fact that it got off to an exciting start and Rafael Fiziev looked smart on the feet and just as slick in the grappling scrambles, he ended up losing for the second time in a row. Unfortunately for him, the outcome wasn’t the same as a typical defeat. Instead, Fiziev was knocked out by a technical knockout after suffering an injury in the second round of the fight.
In particular, the lightweight contender tore his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) following an uncomfortable pivot that occurred when he was withdrawing his right leg from a kick to the torso. The former Muay Thai fighter had an immediate collapse and is now facing a protracted road to rehabilitation from his injuries. Recently, Rafael Fiziev provided supporters with an update on his injury by taking to X:
“I just had surgery on my left anterior cruciate ligament. The same injury that I suffered three years ago. I shall return, even more powerful than before. The healing process can now begin. Many thanks for your assistance”
Expansion of a Tweet
It is still unknown whether the earlier injury was received on the same leg as this one. Given the length of time it takes for an ACL injury to heal, the earliest date that Fiziev may possibly make his return to the octagon is late in the year 2024.
Explosive athletes are prone to tearing their ligaments because their athleticism makes it difficult for them to change direction quickly, which causes wear and stress on the ligaments. This is especially true with regard to the knees, as they are consistently subjected to mechanical strain.
Rafael Fiziev’s last UFC win
At one point in his career, Rafael Fiziev, better known by his ring name “Ataman,” was on a roll, winning a string of fights in a row. No one could have imagined that in the year 2023, ‘Ataman’ would be sidelined with a catastrophic injury after suffering defeat in his last two bouts. He had a winning streak of six matches in a row, with his most recent victory coming against Rafael dos Anjos.
Expansion of a Tweet
At UFC Vegas 58, the two guys engaged in a thrilling fight that culminated in the fifth round with a violent knockout victory for one of the competitors. It is still Fiziev’s most notable victory, considering that dos Anjos is a former lightweight champion of the UFC.
