The UFC headed east to Azerbaijan for a UFC Battle Evening occasion that featured a homecoming for Rafael Fiziev, whereas a card full of rising expertise regarded to placed on a present in entrance of a packed crowd on the Nationwide Gymnastics Enviornment.
Listed below are our energy rankings for the evening’s prime performers at UFC Baku.
UFC Baku Energy Rankings
1. Rafael Fiziev
The homecoming hero of Baku was given the duty of closing the present, and he did so in model with an excellent second-round knockout of infamous first-round finisher Manuel Torres.
Fiziev entered the bout in poor type, having misplaced 4 of his final 5 bouts, however every of these matchups got here towards elite opposition. However towards rising expertise Torres, Fiziev proved that there are ranges to the UFC’s light-weight division as he took the combat to the Mexican from the opening alternate, prevented Torres’ vaunted first-round ending energy, then stopped him within the second.
The end, a spectacular spinning heel kick, with follow-up punches, was a factor of magnificence, and the proper option to ship the Baku followers house joyful after a terrific evening of fights.
2. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev
It’s going to take you longer to learn this than Yakhyaev wanted to truly win his combat. The sunshine heavyweight finisher entered the Octagon, patiently waited for Bruce Buffer to complete his bulletins, then proceeded to demolish Julius Walker with strikes.
The entire combat lasted simply seven seconds, as Yakhyaev gave one other warning to the sunshine heavyweight division that he’s a pressure to be reckoned with at 205 kilos.
3. Asu Almabayev
By way of essentially the most comprehensively wonderful all-round MMA efficiency of the evening, Asu Almabayev stood above the remaining. Matched with the tough veteran Charles Johnson, the Kazakh contender showcased good stand-up abilities, and combined in his wrestling to maintain the American guessing.
And when the combat hit the mat within the third spherical, Almabeyev produced a bit of grappling magic, as he labored himself into place and executed an ideal Suloev stretch to pressure the faucet an safe his third straight win contained in the Octagon.
Alabayev seems like a contender within the making at 125 kilos, and whereas he may have yet one more win to place himself proper in line for a title shot, he can anticipate a giant combat for his subsequent task.
4. Matheus Camilo
Matched towards Azerbaijan’s personal Nazim Sadykhov, Brazil’s Matheus Camilo knew he was going into enemy territory in Baku. However, regardless of his opponent receiving the whole thing of the fan help within the area, it was Camilo who emerged together with his hand raised in victory.
A well-timed punch dropped Sadykhov onerous to the canvas, and a collection of follow-up strikes pressured the end as Camilo claimed back-to-back wins within the UFC after shedding his debut to Gabe Inexperienced in Might 2025. Now he’s on a win streak, it’ll be fascinating to see how far he can take his type within the talent-stacked light-weight division.
5. Daniil Donchenko
Having gained The Final Fighter, Ukraine’s Donchenko is beginning to make actual progress within the UFC’s welterweight division. His TKO of Swedish substitute opponent Theodor Berggren showcased Donchenko’s trademark aggression as he pushed the tempo, harm his man, and bought the stoppage early within the second spherical.
At simply 24 years of age, we’re solely beginning to scratch the floor of Donchenko’s potential in MMA gloves, however what we already know is that he’s an thrilling expertise to observe, and one who loves a tear-up. That’ll bode effectively for his reserving prospects within the coming years, and it in all probability gained’t be lengthy earlier than we see him on one other combat card.
