All articles tagged with #baku
Rafael Fiziev knocked out Manuel Torres in the second round at UFC Fight Night 280 in Baku, keeping his lightweight ranking as the Azerbaijani crowd celebrated and post-fight reactions circulated on X.
Rafael Fiziev delivered a spectacular main-event KO with a spinning wheel kick at UFC Baku, as nine finishes lit up the 13-fight card at the National Gymnastics Arena in Azerbaijan. In addition to Fiziev, Asu Almabayev and Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev earned Performance of the Night, with Daniil Donchenko also grabbing a Performance bonus for his head-kick KO. Five fighters received Finish Bonuses of $25,000: Matheus Camilo (KO over Nazim Sadykhov), Abus Magomedov (guillotine over Michal Oleksiejczuk), Nursulton Ruziboev (rear-naked choke over Andrey Pulyaev), Kaan Ofli (arm-triangle over Javier Reyes), and Tahir Abdullayev (third-round TKO over Jefferson Nascimento).}{
UFC Fight Night 280 in Baku delivered a night of rapid finishes and decisive decisions, led by Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev’s first‑round 8‑second KO of Julius Walker; Abus Magomedov’s first‑round guillotine submission of Michal Oleksiejczuk; Nursultan Ruziboev’s first‑round rear‑naked choke of Pulyaev; Kaan Ofli’s first‑round arm-triangle submission of Javier Reyes; Daniil Donchenko’s head‑kick TKO of Berggren in Round 2; Matsumoto’s 29‑28 decision over Almakhan after a leg‑kick heavy fight; Tahir Abdullayev’s Round 3 TKO of Jefferson Nascimento; Farman Hasanov’s unanimous decision over Eric Nolan; and several other finishes on the card.
UFC Baku on Paramount+ from Baku Crystal Hall featured Rafael Fiziev vs Manuel Torres in the main event with a stacked undercard. In the prelims, Farman Hasanov defeated Eric Nolan by unanimous decision; Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev stopped Julius Walker in 8 seconds; Nursulton Ruziboev tapped Andrey Pulyaev via rear-naked choke; Kaan Ofli submitted Javier Reyes; Daniil Donchenko defeated Theodor Berggren by head-kick TKO; Bekzat Almakhan fell to Jean Matsumoto by decision; Tahir Abdullayev stopped Jefferson Nascimento by TKO. The live blog began at 9 a.m. ET with the main card at 12 p.m. ET, all streaming on Paramount+.
UFC Fight Night in Baku featured Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres in the headliner and Shara Magomedov vs. Michel Pereira in the co-main, with the prelims yielding Kaan Ofli’s arm-triangle choke win over Javier Reyes, Daniil Donchenko’s TKO of Theodor Berggren, Jean Matsumoto’s unanimous decision over Bekzat Almakhan, and Tahir Abdullayev’sTKO win over Jefferson Nascimento. The article provides live results from National Gymnastics Arena, Azerbaijan.
MMA Fighting previews UFC Baku, headlined by Rafael Fiziev vs Manuel Torres, with strong home-country interest and several notable undercard matchups; the piece argues Fiziev can rebound from recent losses and provides picks for the main and undercard fights.
Azerbaijan says security forces arrested three men (one born in 2000 and two in 2005) for planning to attack an embassy in Baku, allegedly in coordination with ISKP (the Islamic State's Khorasan Province). The suspects obtained weapons and are charged with preparation for terrorism as investigations continue; the target was not officially named, though reports linked it to Israel's embassy.
Max Verstappen dominated the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, winning from pole and extending his lead in the championship, while Oscar Piastri's early crash impacted the title race. George Russell and Carlos Sainz completed the podium, with notable performances from Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda.
Russia has urged Azerbaijan to restore its ties with Moscow to a strategic level following a diplomatic crisis triggered by police raids in Russia that resulted in the deaths of two Azerbaijanis, and subsequent arrests of Russians by Azerbaijani authorities. The situation has been exacerbated by mutual accusations and investigations, with Russia calling for dialogue and Baku being urged to repair relations.
At UFC's first event in Azerbaijan, fans left early due to a lackluster card, but Dana White awarded $100,000 bonuses to fighters Nazim Sadykhov and Nikolas Motta for their exciting fight, while ignoring an impressive submission win by Myktybek Orolbai due to weight issues.
During UFC Baku, fighters Nazim Sadykhov and Nikolas Motta fought intensely, with Sadykhov winning by knockout and both fighters receiving extra bonuses; Motta and Naurdiev were hospitalized for precautionary CT scans after their bouts, with Naurdiev's fight marred by fouls and controversy.
The UFC event in Baku featured six preliminary fights, all going the distance, with notable wins by SeokHyeon Ko, JunYong Park, and others, showcasing impressive performances and UFC debuts.
Khalil Rountree Jr. convincingly defeated Jamahal Hill by unanimous decision at UFC Baku, showcasing his skills and earning a potential title shot, while Rafael Fiziev ended his losing streak with a win over Ignacio Bahamondes.
UFC on ABC 8 took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, featuring notable fights including Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., with live updates and results available for the main and preliminary cards, showcasing intense battles across multiple weight classes.
Mohammed Usman, brother of Kamaru Usman, secured a crucial comeback victory at UFC Baku, ending a nearly two-year winless streak and potentially saving his UFC career, while Kamaru Usman also made a successful return to the octagon in Atlanta, showcasing his dominant wrestling skills.