Rafael Fiziev had to go to the fifth round to find a knockout finish against Rafael dos Anjos tonight at UFC On ESPN 39.
Round One:
Body kick from Fiziev. He lands another. Now a body kick from dos Anjos. Another kick from Fiziev.
Fiziev tries for a head kick but doesn’t land it. Nice jab from RDA. Left hook from Fiziev as RDA was coming into range.
RDA with a fast takedown attempt and presses Fiziev up against the cage. Knees to the thigh from RDA. Fiziev defending the takedown for now though.
Eventually Fiziev does a good job of breaking free. Now a flurry of strikes from Fiziev. Kick to the body from RDA and Fiziev does likewise.
Fast body kick from Fiziev. Now comes close with a jumping knee. Head kick attempt from Fiziev. A couple of punches now and a kick off the arm.
RDA drives into another takedown attempt against the cage and again Fiziev is defending against it well.
Knee from RDA and then Fiziev gets away. Fiziev with a stepping elbow. Now a front kick to the body and solid punches behind it that back up dos Anjos.
Round Two:
Body kick from RDA. Body punch from Fiziev. Light inside kick from Fiziev. Hard kick from RDA is almost caught and he clinches up for a moment.
The action is paused for a moment due to an eyepoke to dos Anjos. He seems ok to continue though.
Body punches from Fiziev. RDA with a left hand. Dos Anjos attempts a takedown, fails at the first attempt but comes back up and takes Fiziev’s back. He goes back to the front though and presses Fiziev into the cage.
Fiziev able to break free. left hand for RDA. Now a jab for him and a kick. Body-head combo for Fiziev and then a leg kick.
left hook from Fiziev. Nice jab. Another few rips to the body. Jab from RDA. Body kick for dos Anjos and then beautiful timing on a takedown, but Fiziev does really well to defend that and pops back up pressing RDA into the cage.
Fiziev exits the clinch with an elbow strike. RDA clinches up again in the center of the Octagon and then walks him over to the cage. Fiziev turns into him though.
Fiziev opts to back out. Uppercut from RDA. Inside leg kick for Fiziev. Slapping left hook from Fiziev. Left hand gets through for him too. Now a quick flurry from him.
Jab lands for RDA> Body kick from Fiziev. Missed hooks from RDA.
Inbetween rounds RDA’s elbow is bleeding after blocking a kick.
Round Three:
RDA into an early takedown attempt in the third round. He’s back to clinching up against the cage for now, but Fiziev loses his balance and has to put a hand down on the mat. however, Fiziev does well to regain is balance and pop straight back up.
RDA still staying in the clinch though. He tries for a single-leg but Fiziev gets away. Body kick for Fiziev. Front kick to the body.
Dos Anjos drives Fiziev into the clinch again. Fiziev turns into him. They break apart now. leg kick for Fiziev. Jab from dos Anjos.
Front kick to the body from Fiziev. Now a left hand for him. Fiziev clinches and drives RDA to the cage for a change.
A few knees to the thigh from him. Now it’s RDA’s turn to get away. Right hands lands for Fiziev. Nice knee strike to the body too. RDA lands a jab.
Right hook lands for Fiziev. Another gets through. Body kick for him. Front kicks to the body . Both miss on punches. Final one-two from Fiziev.
Round Four:
Low kicks exchanged. Front kick to the body from Fiziev. RDA tries to clinch up but nothing doing. He drives into a takedown and clinches up against the cage.
Fiziev continuing to show excellent takedown defense and escapes. Inside leg kick and a flurry of punches to the body from Fiziev.
RDA tries for a takedown attempt, but Fiziev blocks it and clinches dos Anjos up against the cage.
Fiziev breaks away. Jumping knee from RDA lands and a punch hits home too. Fiziev drives him into the cage on the other side now.
RDA trying to get away, but Fiziev keeps him there a few seconds longer then backs up.
Fiziev with a kick and RDA almost catches it, but Fiziev keeps his balance and stays upright. Glancing overhand right from Fiziev. They clinch up again. RDA tries for a foot sweep, but Fiziev denies it and goes back to striking range.
RDA with a punch to the body and then into a takedown attempt and this time lands it nicely. Fiziev gets his back up against the cage, but RDA is trying to keep him down.
Final 30 seconds of the round with RDA working to keep Fiziev down. Fiziev pops up to his feet in the final seconds of the round and RDA lands an elbow.
Round Five:
Body kick for Fiziev. Leg kick from RDA as Fiziev lands a punch. Punch from RDA.
Fiziev suddenly propels forward with a missed knee, but lands a glancing right hand and then a big left hook behind it that sends RDA flying backwards onto the canvas and then rushes over to land a follow-up punch on the mat to seal the deal as the ref rushes in and ends the fight, handing Fiziev what goes down as a KO victory just 18 seconds into the final round.
