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Rafael Fiziev, reflecting on his UFC 286 fight against Justin Gaethje last March, has accused Gaethje of running away from him during the bout. The fight, which took place in London, England, was a highly anticipated co-main event in the lightweight division, ultimately won by Gaethje via majority decision in a thrilling back-and-forth encounter.
In a recent interview with The AllStar, Fiziev alleged that Gaethje evaded him for two rounds and only gained momentum after an eye poke affected Fiziev's vision. According to Fiziev, his impaired vision hindered his performance, allowing Gaethje to capitalize and dominate the fight.
Responding to Fiziev's comments, Gaethje took to social media platform 'X' to refute the claims, asserting that he had landed significant strikes and inflicted damage on Fiziev throughout the bout. Gaethje expressed his displeasure at Fiziev's remarks, particularly the accusation of evading the fight, emphasizing the competitive nature of their exchanges.
In the final round, Gaethje outstruck Fiziev 54 to 38 in significant strikes and appeared to have hurt him, securing a 10-8 scorecard from one judge. Despite the competitiveness of the fight, Gaethje's frustration stemmed from Fiziev's allegations, given the judges' decision in his favor.
Following his victory over Fiziev, Gaethje went on to claim a second-round knockout win against Dustin Poirier in July, earning him the BMF (Baddest Motherf***er) championship. He is scheduled to defend his title against former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway at UFC 300.
Meanwhile, Fiziev faced a setback in his next fight, tearing his knee ligaments during a main event clash against Mateusz Gamrot in September. As a result, Fiziev has been focused on rehabilitating his knee, with no confirmed plans for his return to the octagon.
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