Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev, UFC 313 ceremonial weigh-in Credit score: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press
Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev met for the second time within the co-main occasion of UFC 313, with heavy violence forecasted.
Their first assembly in 2023 had seen Gaethje come away with a call win in a violent, hard-hitting affair. Extra of the identical was anticipated in Saturday’s rematch, with Fiziev stepping in on brief discover to interchange Dan Hooker – and ending an extended layoff within the course of.
An early conflict noticed Fiziev land a takedown on Gaethje, a transfer that got here out of left subject. Gaethje scrambled up just for Fiziev to land one other takedown, and this time, the person recognized for his putting expertise locked up a reverse triangle. Gaethje weathered that storm, actually simply ready Fiziev out earlier than exploding up once more. Nonetheless, the message had been despatched: The Rafael Fiziev of 2025 was greater than only a stand-up artist.
The following encounter discovered Fiziev firing knees within the clinch, whereas Gaethje appeared to land an uppercut. One other conflict noticed Fiziev land kicks to the physique and land his fingers upstairs. Gaethje was not with out his moments, the largest coming as he landed a proper hand within the ultimate minute of the spherical. Moments later, Gaethje shot a takedown; Fiziev fought it off, however ate one other proper hand for his troubles. After a sluggish begin for “The Highlight,” a stronger end to the spherical. However an excellent first body for Rafael Fiziev.
Spherical two opened with Gaethje urgent ahead, one thing he had promised within the lead-up to the combat. Fiziev nonetheless landed a low kick, resulting in a pause. Gaethje walked it off, then went again to urgent the assault, touchdown a proper, then a two-punch combo. Fiziev continued to search out success together with his kicks, however Gaethje was hemming him in, reducing off the cage, and ducking a head kick. Fiziev then landed a proper hand of his personal, trailing that missed head kick. Gaethje appeared no worse for the damage. Off the break in a short clinch, Gaethje landed excessive. A knee by Fiziev then grazed Gaethje as he ducked down, however moments later it didn’t matter, with Justin Gaethje dropping Fiziev with an uppercut! Gaethje piled on whereas Fiziev coated up; one way or the other, Fiziev labored to his toes, although he ate one other proper hand within the course of.
A Gaethje head kick try fell simply brief to shut out the body. It was Fiziev throwing a spinning kick, blocked, to open the third. The momentum was on Gaethje’s facet heading into the ultimate body, however the combat was very probably even. A couple of minute plus into the third, Fiziev hammered a kick to the physique once more. In a clinch, Gaethje landed an uppercut, however he was dumped off a caught kick and needed to be cautious scrambling again up. Justin landed a mixture, and Fiziev a knee. The combat was enjoying out as marketed: violent as all get-out.
Later within the body, it was Justin Gaethje approaching robust. Fiziev, who took the combat on brief discover, appeared to have slowed a step. Gaethje landed an uppercut with a minute to go, then went after a takedown, with Fiziev fending that off. Twenty seconds on the clock, and Gaethje landed a head kick, blocked. He battled to the ultimate horn, the win probably within the bag.
Probably the most violent man within the sport is again within the win column, in one other traditional Justin Gaethje efficiency.
Official End result: Justin Gaethje def. Rafael Fiziev by unanimous determination (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
