Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev: Fight of The Year Potential

By Ted Ashbrock | March 18, 2023 6:00 am ET Follow @tedashbrock

Via Getty Images

Tomorrow’s UFC 286 Co-Main Event will feature former Interim Lightweight Champion, Justin Gaethje, and sixth ranked striking sensation, Rafael Fiziev. This fight alone is worth the $70 pay-per-view and I can guarantee you now, one if not both of these men are going home with an extra $50,0000.

November 6, 2021

UFC 268

FOTY against Michael Chandler at MSG.

Gaethje went to a decision for the first time in the UFC. pic.twitter.com/jEFHU9efJM

— Ocelot MMA (@Ocelot_MMA) March 14, 2023

Between the two of them, Gaethje and Fiziev have a combined 27 career knockout finishes. Gaethje has finished 19 of his 23 career wins by KO and Fiziev has finished eight of his 12 career wins by KO. Gaethje has been awarded a Fight of the Night bonus six times including the 2017 Fight of the Year vs Michael Johnson, and the 2021 Fight of the Year with Michael Chandler. Rafael Fiziev has received a performance or fight of the night bonus in five of his seven UFC fights. Gaethjes’ brawling brilliance and Fiziev’s bone crushing Muay Thai locked in a cage together has all the makings to be an early front-runner for Fight of the Year. Both men will be content to stand in the pocket and trade blows until one of them goes out. Neither will look to wrestle or chase submissions, this will be a caged muay thai fight with four ounce gloves, and the badder man will walk away a winner and a title contender in the UFC Lightweight division.