On To The Next One: Matches To Make After UFC Baku

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**Alexander K. Lee** (0:27)
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**Mike Heck** (1:01)
You're listening to the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Well, hello there, everybody, and welcome to a brand new edition of On To The Next One. The matchmaking crowns are back following UFC Baku, and perhaps a resurgence of a very popular name in the UFC's lightweight division. We're here to talk about what's next for Rafael Fiziev and some of the other big winners from the recent UFC Fight Night event. I am Mike Heck, and joining me to make his matchmaking selections as well is Rida, I guess a whole lot of your selections as well. That's what happens when you have early day MMA on a Saturday, carries over into Sunday, just gives you more time to submit your picks. He is the co-host, the co-matchmaker, the prince of positivity, and he's my best friend. He's all of your best friends, Alexander K. Lee. AK, how we doing, sir?

**Alexander K. Lee** (2:08)
What's up, Mike? What's up, my best friend? Yeah, we got a ton of feedback on the website, got a ton of feedback for Otno.
You know, these early morning cards don't always deliver this kind of response. We had Macau recently, which was, I think we got like maybe eight or nine people sending in, but this card was considerably stronger. I will say it was considerably stronger. Macau wasn't like a bad show in practice, like it was fine, the watching was fine. This card looked like good main card on paper. And, you know, like we said, it followed this kind of formula that I think Paramount and the UFC have hit right now, where it's like prelims with a lot of potential for finishes, you know, some serious squash matches. And then, you know, a main card that hopefully has if not contender implications, but like, you know, legitimate names that we're curious to see like where they could go with a win or a loss. So solid so far, I thought a very enjoyable early morning card.

**Mike Heck** (2:58)
Yeah, it was very good. All but three of the fights were watchable, I guess. Like the first fight of the night was horrendous. One of the worst fights I've ever seen. The feature prelim will never be watched again by anybody. And then the co-main event was terrible. Like it was just a bad fight. Like Shara Bullet should not be co-main eventing any event moving forward. Like, and I don't say that to be a hater. It's just, his fights are just not exciting. And Michelle Pereira, like he's a terrific one round fighter. Actually, he's a terrific two minute fighter. Because then he just makes like horrific decisions. And like that just sucked the life out of everybody that fight. But luckily the main event delivered the way that it did. That first round was really compelling. And then the finish in the main event was unbelievable. But let's just get right into it, AK.
And just to add the cherry on top of the sundae there.
UFC Baku was a good damn card.
You can't have 13 absolute heaters every single time.
It's not going to be a perfect event. You'll never find a perfect event. Maybe White House is pretty damn close. But this was not on paper. We knew it wouldn't be. But all in all, pretty entertaining time. There are way worse ways to spend your Saturday morning slash early afternoon. And let's get into how it ended, AK. Rafael Fiziev, no longer on the Schneid, as the kids say. He entered the fight with a two fight losing streak. He was destroyed. He was mauled. He was finished by Mauricio Ruffi in his most recent fight back in January at UFC 325 He lost to Justin Gaethje in the fight before. Did have a win against Ignacio Bahamundes, but then prior to that, he lost to Justin Gaethje again. So level competition, super strong with him, which is why I was pretty confident Fiziev would go out there and win, especially if the Scott of the first round, since Manuel Torres is not a guy who gets out of the first round. And boy, did he deliver spinning wheel kick. What a finish. Y'all must have forgot Rafael Fiziev, baby. Where are we going here? I went a little off the wire, but I'm curious where you went with Mr. Ottoman.