Prediction: Rafael Fiziev via Decision
Let’s be real: this line is wild. Fiziev as anything short of a clear favorite is just another case of fans falling in love with the new shiny name and forgetting what elite actually looks like. My pick is Fiziev, and I’m saying that with full confidence—this dude is a legit world-class striker, and the gap on the feet in this matchup is huge.
Bahamondes has that slick look—tall, long, flashy kicks, creative combos—and yeah, it’s fun to watch. But what people forget is that Fiziev has been in there with the absolute best at 155 and held his own. A couple of losses to a guy like Gaethje doesn’t mean he fell off—it just means he fought an absolute killer. And even in that fight, he showed why his striking is still on another level.
Fiziev is faster, cleaner, and his ability to dart in and out of range is elite. His pocket speed is ridiculous. He’s not just throwing one or two and backing up—he’s ripping full combos with sharp angles and exiting without getting touched. That’s a nightmare for a guy like Bahamondes, who needs space to set up his kicks and get comfortable. When you take that away from him and crowd him with fast hands, it gets real awkward for him, real quick.
And here’s the thing with Bahamondes—go watch his fights. When he starts getting touched clean early, you can literally see the change. He starts developing that nervous energy, gets twitchy, hesitates just enough to throw off his rhythm. Fiziev’s the kind of fighter who senses that instantly and cranks up the pressure. Once he’s flowing, he’s putting on a clinic.
Size might look like an advantage for Bahamondes, but Fiziev’s been dealing with bigger guys his whole UFC run. Height and reach don’t matter if you’re getting out-timed and outclassed at every exchange. And this isn’t some point-strike performance either—Fiziev carries real power, and every shot he lands drains your gas and confidence.