Rafael Fiziev returns against Brad Riddell in battle of top-15 ranked UFC lightweights

Rafael Fiziev returns against Brad Riddell in a battle of top-15 ranked UFC lightweights who are two of the best strikers in the division.

MMAjunkie.com first reported the Fiziev vs. Riddell matchup for a UFC card set to take place on December 4. Riddell is currently the No. 12 ranked UFC lightweight while Fiziev is the No. 13 ranked fighter in the division, so it makes a lot of sense for these two to fight each other based on the rankings. The fact that both men prefer to stand and trade on the feet helps, too, making this an extremely exciting fight on paper between the two strikers.

Fiziev (10-1) is 4-1 overall in the UFC since joining the big show in 2019, and he has quickly become a fan favorite at 155lbs. The Kazakhstan native has won his last four fights in a row and he has won a bonus award in three straight fights, having won “Fight of the Night” for his war against Bobby Green at UFC 265, “Performance of the Night” for his brutal KO over Renato Moicano, and “Fight of the Night” for his fight with Mark Diakiese. The Diakise fight was the match in which Fiziev showed off his incredible head movement and reflexes as he pulled off “The Matrix” move, which helped him become a fan favorite.

Riddell (10-1) has also been in the UFC since 2019 and he’s a perfect 4-0 in the promotion with wins over Drew Dober, Alex Silva de Coelho, Magomed Mustafaev, and Jamie Mullarkey. Riddell is a former kickboxer and on paper, he makes for a fantastic opponent for Fiziev, who will have no problem standing and trading with him. This should be an incredible fight between two strikers, and the winner should get a top-10 opponent next.

Who do you think wins this lightweight bout between Rafael Fiziev and Brad Riddell?