Rafael Fiziev expresses excitement for his upcoming match against Mateusz Gamrot in the UFC Vegas 79 main event and emphasizes the importance of proving he belongs at the top with a focus on fighting rather than rankings.
Rafael Fiziev is eager to take on Mateusz Gamrot, known for his relentless takedown, in UFC Vegas 79’s main event at the APEX in Las Vegas. According to Fiziev, Gamrot’s fighting style revolves mostly around wrestling and pressuring his opponent. Despite this, Fiziev is intrigued by the opportunity to test his own capabilities against such a unique style. He describes the match-up as a forward-moving wrestler verses a striker who wants to hold his ground. Fiziev confidently adds, “If you can take me down, I’m ready to stand up. If you take me down 200 times, I am ready to stand up 201.”
The fight will mark Fiziev’s return to the octagon, following his tough loss to Justin Gaethje in a closely contested fight at UFC 286 earlier in March. The experience has given Fiziev more insights, teaching him the importance of staying focused, undistracted by the cheering crowds. Meanwhile, he expresses enthusiasm towards the opportunity to showcase his skills against a different style in a smaller venue. Fiziev also emphasizes his ambition to prove his place in the highly competitive lightweight division by defending his position against a capable adversary.
Fiziev is very determined to justify his ranking after the loss to Gaethje. With Gamrot also coming off a loss to a top-ranked opponent, Fiziev believes they both have something to prove in this fight. However, he’s dismissive about rankings and numbers, stating that the focus should be on the fights themselves, not numerical ratings. Anyone who is up next, whether they’re ranked tenth, ninth or any other position, should be prepared to fight, Fiziev believes.
Gamrot returned from his loss at UFC 280 to Beneil Dariush with a quick decision win over Jalin Turner at March’s UFC 285 event, bringing his octagon record to 5-2. Familiar with Gamrot’s abilities, Fiziev knew they would eventually face each other in the ring. Fiziev responded immediately when Gamrot challenged him on social media, and the match was set. He seems to appreciate this direct approach to match setting, stating, “Sometimes we don’t need matchmakers.” Fiziev expresses his readiness to fight anyone who challenges him, adding, “If somebody is calling me [out], I’m ready. No drama show.”