Rafael Fiziev's future path: Stay at lightweight or cut to featherweight?

Rafael Fiziev is coming off an impressive rebound win, having knocked out Manuel Torres in round two in the UFC Fight Night 280 main event. Unfortunately for him, the win, against an unranked foe, is indicative of how far he's fallen in the lightweight division. The reality of the situation may very well be that the 155-pounders at the top end are just too big for him, so perhaps a move down to featherweight could spare him from the fate of being just another action fighter who will never achieve true greatness in the sport.

Rafael Fiziev: Lightweight vs. featherweight

The truth is that Rafael Fiziev has never fought at featherweight in MMA. So, there's no telling how the weight cut might affect him. But, at 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a 71-inch reach, he's criminally undersized at lightweight, especially as the new crop of 155-pounders are even larger than the previous generation. As a striker, he's fast and explosive, but his lack of size also means he lacks any serious firepower once his gas tank depletes, which it often does after about two rounds of high-octane action. That not only leaves him without any means of punishing opponents who close the distance on him, as he's left without the explosive power that keeps others wary, but it also affects his distance management.

Fiziev benefits tremendously from his speed, which is what allows him to take long, explosive steps into range when taller, longer opponents try to keep him at bay. However, once his cardio starts to fail him, that spring in his step vanishes and he struggles to safely close the distance on other fighters. Furthermore, Fiziev's run of form at lightweight has left a lot to be desired as of late. While he knocked out Manuel Torres in round two at UFC Fight Night 280, he was 1-4 in his last five fights before that, including a bad TKO loss to Mauricio Ruffy in round two of their UFC 325 encounter. That rough patch has left him completely off the media panel's UFC lightweight rankings, and at #13 on the UFC Meta rankings, which he has bemoaned.

Featherweight, provided he could diet to a lower weight safely, would be a more optimal division for him. Not only will he not be undersized, as many fighters in the weight class have similar frames, but he will likely bring tremendous explosiveness and power with him. Some are already envisioning him against featherweights. A new division also presents him with potential championship opportunities if he can string together enough wins, as the hope for a lightweight title fight is, at this point, improbable.