Rafael Fiziev definitively won an exciting battle of strikers tonight at UFC On ESPN 31, felling Brad Riddell with a wheel kick in the final round to seal the TKO stoppage.
Round One:
Inside low kick from Riddell. Outside kick from Fiziev now. Body kick for Riddell. Head kick just misses from Fiziev and then a lightning quick spinning kick behind it that also misses but was certainly threatening.
Right hook counter from Fiziev as Riddell throws. Solid body kick from Fiziev that’s caught by Riddell, but still landed.
Both men exchange heavy blows. Short flurry from Riddell. Body punch attempt from Riddell and Fiziev counters with a kick.
Big right hand from Riddell. Head kick attempt from Fiziev. Right hand over the top from Riddell and a right hook counter from Fiziev.
Punch from Fiziev as Riddell lands a low kick. Body kick from Fiziev. Now one from Riddell. Low kick from Fiziev. Now one to the body on the other side. leg kick from Riddell and then a flurry of punches behind it to end the round.
Round Two:
Body kick from Riddell. Now a leg kick. Aother body kick now. Hooks from Fiziev. Now he lands a body kick. Both men unleashing punches.
Riddell steps into a jab and misses on follow-up punches. Jab from Fiziev. He steps into a nice elbow strike and that cuts his opponent.
Heavy one-two lands for Riddell. Inside leg kick for Fiziev. Another leg kick. Good left hook counter from Fiziev. Body kick from Riddell.
Both fighters land left hooks. Riddell with straight punches as Fiziev works hooks. Riddell with a couple of punches to the body.
Missed head kick from Fiziev. Riddell punches his way into the clinch looking for a takedown attempt, but nothing doing.
Hard right hand for Fiziev. He jumps into a knee to the body, then remains clinched up and lands a couple more knees.
They break away and Fiziev lands a few punches. Riddell trying to clinch and Fiziev pushes him off. Body kicks from Fiziev.
Ridell with a jab, but Riddell lands too. off-balance attack from Riddell.
Round Three:
The cut above Riddell’s eye gets looked at before the roudn starts but the action continues for now.
Hard exchange in close immediately. Body kick from Fiziev and then one to the leg on the other side. Riddell does well to land a takedown, but Fiziev is immmediately working back to his feet.
Another powerful exchange of punches at close range. Riddell lands to the body and head, but Fiziev also connected with a hook.
Light flurry of punches from Fiziev and Riddell attempts a takedown that doesn’t pay off. Short flurry from both men. High level action here.
Fast Wheel kick from Fiziev catches Riddell off-guard and leaves him rocked, seeming to freeze on the spot staring into the middle-distance, then regains his senses enough to attempt a takedown, but by that point the ref Herb Dean has already stepped in and signals it’s all over at 2.20mins of the final round.
Riddell still looks a bit unsteady as he stands again, so that was probably the right call and that’s a spectacular finish that’ll look great on Fiziev’s highlight-reel.
