The UFC returns to Baku for the second consecutive June and one of the only fighters on the roster who represents Azerbaijan is featured in the main event.
Rafael Fiziev got his hand raised in the co-feature last year when he faced Ignacio Bahamondes, and on Saturday he goes up against another aggressive, 155-pound finisher.
Fiziev has struggled in recent years outside of that Bahamondes win but can solidify his place as a top-15 lightweight if he can snap the impressive of Torres, who has knocked out his past two opponents in a combined 4:10.
Torres is a combined 6-1 fighting in the UFC and Dana White’s Contender Series with his lone setback being a first-round stoppage by Bahamondes in 2024.
How will those different results against their one common UFC opponent factor into Saturday’s main event at Baku Crystal Hall, which is scheduled for five five-minute rounds?
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The oddsmakers have had this main event lined closely ever since it was announced. Fiziev had been a slight favourite most of fight week yet Torres enters the weekend as small chalk after the line flipped late in the week.
Both fighters successfully made weight on Friday morning, as did all other fighters on the card.
The co-main event is a middleweight matchup between dynamic striker Shara Magomedov of Russia and wild freestyle Brazilian fighter Michel Pereira. Those 185-pounders had a heated exchange at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-in and needed to be separated by security.
Below is the projected bout order for UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Torres (subject to change) plus full predictions from the Sportsnet panel who seek a seventh consecutive successful Cage Locks parlay…
MAIN CARD
-- Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres
-- Shara Magomedov vs. Michel Pereira
-- Nazim Sadykhov vs. Matheus Camilo
-- Asu Almabayev vs. Charles Johnson
-- Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferreira
-- Abus Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
PRELIMINARY CARD
-- Farman Hasanov vs. Eric Nolan
-- Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs. Julius Walker
-- Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Andrey Pulyaev
-- Kaan Ofli vs. Javier Reyes
-- Daniil Donchenko vs. Theodor Berggren
-- Bekzat Almakhan vs. Jean Matsumoto
-- Tahir Abdullayev vs. Jefferson Nascimento
Ahead of each UFC event in 2026, UFC reporter Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter), producer Dan Fernandes (@DanFernandes__) and writer/editor Mike Johnston (@MikeyJ_MMA) will peruse the odds and make four betting predictions using fantasy dollars: one best bet, one favourite, one underdog and one dart throw wager. REMINDER: Sportsnet is committed to promoting and educating audiences about the importance of betting responsibly. Sources for responsible gambling can be found HERE.
AARON'S PICKS
Cage Lock: Yakhyaev vs. Walker ends inside the distance -600
Favourite: Ikram Aliskerov -275
Underdog: Andrey Pulyaev +185
Dart Throw: Ikram Aliskerov wins by submission +475
Both Yakhyaev and Walker have good finishing instincts, so I do not expect their bout to see the scorecards. … Aliskerov is more well-rounded than Ferreira and if he can avoid Ferreira’s power in the first round, I think that he can take him down and find a submission at some stage of the fight. … Ruziboev had many physical advantages at welterweight that made him a tough out, but those are negated at middleweight and I believe that the durability of Pulyaev will make him the fresher and more dangerous fighter down the stretch.
DAN'S PICKS
Cage Lock: Shara Magomedov -340
Favourite: Asu Almabaev -260
Underdog: Michal Oleksiejczuk +120
Dart Throw: Ofli wins by submission +700
Calling Magomedov an absolute lock here is a bit of a stretch because Michel Pereira is so explosive. But I think Shara 'Bullet' controls the fight and his dynamic strike game will be the difference here. … Almabaev was looking unstoppable prior to losing to Manel Kape. He has bounced back nicely since then and likely wrestles Charles Johnson into oblivion on Saturday. … Michal Oleksiejcuk has a fight resume that commands respect. His experience alone makes him an underdog to keep an eye on. Abus Magomedov is a beast, but was stopped in his tracks by Joe Pyfer. Oleksiejcuk will try to follow a similar strategy and exploit minor weaknesses in Magomedov's game. Easier said than done of course. … Kaan Ofli has some submission victories under his belt and Javier Reyes doesn't have a ton of UFC-calibre fights. Reyes will come out as the aggressor and swing for the fences. If he doesn't hit a homerun early it will leave openings for Ofli to snatch a limb and end it.
MIKE'S PICKS
Cage Lock: Daniil Donchenko -555
Favourite: Nazim Sadykhov -205
Underdog: Rafael Fiziev -105
Dart Throw: Aliskerov wins by Kimura/Americana submission +2500
Donchenko is a solid prospect at 170 pounds and should hold a speed and striking advantage like he does in most of his fights. … Nazim Sadykhov is coming off a KO loss in December but he’s in a great spot here as a home fighter with a favourable matchup. … Aliskerov vs. Ferreira is an awesome scrap and while this matchup is likely to end in a KO/TKO, Aliskerov has five submission wins in his career and the three most recent ones were via kimura so this is a classic longshot dart throw on a move Aliskerov likes even though Ferreira has great grappling himself. … Torres can absolutely finish the main event and keep rising but Fiziev has all the tools necessary to halt his momentum. Fiziev’s footspeed and hand speed could be a big issue for Torres if he makes some of the same mistakes he did against Bahamondes. There are a lot of tempting dogs on this card (Pulyaev, Nolan and Oleksiejczuk are a few I think are live) but since the line has flipped I’ll take the veteran Fiziev as my official underdog pick since I’d have him listed as the favourite if I set the line. Fiziev must avoid eating big punches from Torres early but he certainly has the tools to do so and then dominate this matchup the longer it lasts.
CAGE LOCKS PARLAY
Three legs: Yakhyaev/Walker inside the distance + Magomedov + Donchenko
Parlay odds: -128 (to win: $78.19)
2026 STANDINGS AFTER 20 EVENTS
CAGE LOCKS PARLAY
2026 record: 11-9 (W6)
2026 winnings: +$52.21 (on $100 bets)
AARON'S RECORDS/TOTALS (40-40, +0.96 units)
Cage Lock: 14-6 (-$345.42)
Favourite: 12-8 (-$117.86)
Underdog: 10-10 (+$310)
Dart throw: 4-16 (+$250)
DAN'S RECORDS/TOTALS (42-37-1, +2.19 units)
Cage Lock: 19-1 (+$223.94)
Favourite: 14-6 (+$128.81)
Underdog: 6-13-1 (-$433)
Dart throw: 3-17 (+$300)
MIKE'S RECORDS/TOTALS (38-40-2, -2.76 units)
Cage Lock: 17-3 (+$171.07)
Favourite: 12-8 (-$7.26)
Underdog: 7-12-1 (+$260)
Dart throw: 2-17-1 (-$700)
Cage Lock: The pick deemed to be the wager most likely to win regardless of what the odds look like. The Cage Locks parlay will combine Aaron’s, Dan’s and Mike’s respective best bet for each event.
Favourite: A fighter with winning odds shorter than -300 but not longer than -110. On chalkier cards with a dearth of available moneyline favourites that meet those criteria, prop bets are allowed to be selected.
Underdog: Any fighter with longer odds than their opponent’s.
Dart Throw: Any prop bet or moneyline wager with odds of +400 or longer.
(Betting odds above are via BetMGM, submitted at various times throughout week, and subject to change prior to the fights)
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