Brad Riddell will go against Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Font vs Aldo. The lightweight bout will go down this weekend on December 5th. With UFC legend Jose Aldo on the fight card, the event has already gained massive hype in the MMA community. But, other than the main event, the fight between Riddell and Fiziev has also managed to create some buzz. Here’s the fight breakdown and prediction for the fight.
Riddell (10-1) made his UFC debut in 2019 and has fought four fights since then. The New Zealander has managed to showcase his great potential and is undefeated throughout his UFC journey.
Riddell’s last Octagon appearance was at UFC 263 earlier this year against Drew Dober, which he won via a unanimous decision. Currently, Riddell is #12 in the UFC lightweight rankings and a win against Fiziev will help him to get into the top ten.
Fiziev (10-1) is also very close to Riddell when it comes to experience in the UFC. Fiziev lost his first-ever UFC match-up against Magomed Mustafaev back in 2019. Since then, Kazakhstani has bounced back and gone on a four-fight winning streak.
In 2021, Fiziev defeated Bobby Green at UFC 265 and currently ranks #14 in the UFC lightweight rankings. As the rank difference between the fighters is very small, the winner can get a great boost after the bout.
Brad Riddell vs Rafael Fiziev Stats:
| Stats | Brad Riddell | Rafael Fiziev |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 10 | 10 |
| Losses | 1 | 1 |
| Height | 5′ 7″ | 5′ 8″ |
| Division | Lightweight | Lightweight |
| Reach | 71″ | 71″ |
| Stance | Orthodox | Switch |
Brad Riddell vs Rafael Fiziev fight breakdown and prediction:
The fight has great potential to be a banger. Both Fiziev and Riddell share some history together, as both fighters trained at the same gym earlier. In Thailand, at the Tiger Muay Thai gym, both trained their Muay Thai skills and now will take on each other in a brutal fight. It is a very close fight to call. Both the fighters have their own advantages and disadvantages that don’t really put them much ahead of their opponent.
Riddell has the power advantage and can land heavy shots. One of the major factors in Riddell’s game plan will be to take down Fiziev as soon as possible. Fiziev has the speed and accuracy advantage and will be looking to land more shots in terms of volume and keep the opponent guessing.
Both fighters share similar skillsets when it comes to kicking and clinching games, and it’s going to be hard for anyone to get a clear knockout win. Fiziev will look to put more pressure and will march forward and having a great takedown defense will also help him from regular takedowns that Riddell might attempt.
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