“Don’t Wanna Let Him Breathe”: Rafael Fiziev Sends Stern Warning to Justin Gaethje Ahead of UFC 286

UFC star Rafael Fiziev targets the much coveted top 5 ranking as he squares off against Justin Gaethje at UFC 286. The surging title contender intends to lift his ranking further as he enters The O2 Arena in London on March 18, 2023. The former kickboxer notably has established himself as a top contender as he racked impressive wins against formidable foes such as Rafael dos Anjos on his last trips to the Octagon. While he recently expressed his humble gesture of not growing into an impediment to Beneil Dariush‘s title shot, the Azerbaijani fighter vows to be relentless in his fight against ‘The Highlight’.

The 30-year-old fighter also specified his plan to make London his “kitchen” as he appeared on Submission Radio. In the interview, the ‘Ataman’ revealed how he landed the fight against the American fighter. After amassing a win against dos Anjos, he believed he deserved a top 5 contender as his next opponent. Coincidentally, the #3 ranked lightweight also had no candidate in sight. Therefore, the former Muay Thai fighter called his shot and, as a result, landed the adversary he wanted next.

Rafael Fiziev sends a chilling message to Justin Gaethje ahead of their bout

The 21-1 record holder, in the last segment of the podcast, put forth a prediction of their upcoming fight. A win against a top lightweight fighter might provide his MMA career and rankings the boost he desires.

Thus, he said, “I just don’t wanna let him [Justin Gaethje] breathe in the cage. You know, I just like I always say, it’s like my kitchen. And I go and cook something in my kitchen.”

Markedly, the Tiger Muay Thai product is on a 6-win streak. Gaethje, on the other hand, experienced a bit of hard luck lately as he let two opportunities to capture the UFC gold slip by.

Fiziev, alike Conor McGregor, took up martial arts to cope with his bullies at the age of 11. While the Phuket resident trained in Muay Thai, he also picked up other combat sports. Subsequently, he made the switch to MMA. However, the switch came with its own set of difficulties, as he found difficulty in inculcating grappling skills.

Therefore, the fight against Gaethje, who is a skilled wrestler, might prove to be the biggest and hardest of his MMA career.

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What do you think of these statements by UFC star Rafael Fiziev about his upcoming fight? Do you believe he’ll rack up another impressive win against another top contender? Let us know in the comments below.

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