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Fiziev's Redemption, McKee's Gold Hunt, and Pereira's Seminar Snafu

Fiziev gets his confidence back, McKee eyes PFL gold, and Pereira's seminar draws criticism after fan complaints.

Fiziev's Redemption, McKee's Gold Hunt, and Pereira's Seminar Snafu

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What a week it’s been in the world of MMA! We’re diving into some big stories, from a fighter’s return to form to a PFL star’s championship ambitions and even a bit of controversy surrounding a UFC champion.

Fiziev Finds His Fire Again

Rafael Fiziev made a triumphant return at UFC Baku, securing a win over Torres. This victory was more than just another notch in his record; it was a significant confidence booster for Fiziev, who admitted he “didn’t believe in myself anymore” after his previous loss to Justin Gaethje. He credits Gaethje’s historic win for giving him the motivation he needed to regain his self-belief. Now, with his confidence restored, Fiziev is already looking ahead, even targeting a BMF title fight, citing a “little story” he has with Charles Oliveira.

UFC Baku’s Wild Moments

UFC Baku delivered some memorable moments, including a rare Suloev stretch submission that’s being hailed by some as the best finish of the event. However, not all predictions came true. One fighter boldly predicted a first-punch knockout, only to be on the receiving end of one himself, getting sparked in just eight seconds. It just goes to show that in MMA, anything can happen, and sometimes, the fight game has a way of humbling even the most confident competitors.

McKee’s Championship Quest

A.J. McKee Jr. put on a dominant performance at PFL San Diego, sweeping Salamat Isbulaev on all three judges’ scorecards. This impressive win has McKee feeling confident and he’s now publicly calling for a title shot. He’s clearly got his sights set on PFL gold, and after a performance like that, it’s hard to argue that he isn’t making a strong case for himself. Also on the card, Liz Carmouche secured a second-round guillotine submission against Viviane Araujo.

PFL Payouts Raise Eyebrows

While McKee is aiming for the top, some of the PFL fighter purses from the San Diego event have raised questions. Reports indicate that the main eventer received only $10,000, and an ex-UFC title challenger also earned a surprisingly low amount. These figures highlight the ongoing discussions about fighter pay across different promotions, and it’s a topic that continues to generate significant debate within the MMA community.

Pereira’s Seminar Controversy

UFC champion Alex Pereira is facing criticism after an MMA seminar he was involved with released a statement addressing complaints from attendees. The statement indicated that the organization was “disgusted” by the issues raised. Details are still emerging, but it seems there were some significant problems that led to fan dissatisfaction, putting Pereira under fire and creating a bit of a stir outside the octagon.

Sources

Every source behind today's roundup (14)

We summarize the day’s news in our own words. Full credit to the outlets below for the original reporting, click through to read their work:

Open Scoring MMA is a daily AI-produced MMA and UFC news podcast. Listen to today’s episode, read the full Feed, or get every episode by email.

Episode transcript

Read the full episode transcript

Welcome to Open Scoring MMA. This is episode nine for June twenty-eighth, two thousand twenty-six, your daily look at what’s happening now and next across the world of MMA and UFC.

Rafael Fiziev just put on a clinic at UFC Baku, and he’s crediting none other than Justin Gaethje for helping him get his head right. Fiziev admitted, and this is a quote, “I didn’t believe in myself anymore,” before his main event clash with Manuel Torres. But after seeing Gaethje’s historic win, something clicked for him. He said it gave him the motivation he needed, and man, did it show. Fiziev absolutely starched Torres with a spinning wheel kick and follow-up punches in the second round, picking up a sensational knockout win. That’s a massive bounce-back for the number twelve ranked lightweight, and it really highlights how much the mental game plays a part in this sport. It’s not just about the physical tools; sometimes, you need that spark, that belief, and it sounds like Gaethje provided it for Fiziev. What a performance to get back in the win column, and a huge statement in the lightweight division.

Speaking of UFC Baku, the event delivered some serious fireworks from the National Gymnastics Arena in Azerbaijan. Beyond Fiziev’s main event knockout, we saw a lot of finishes, really building a wave of momentum throughout the night. The Caucasus talent on display really lived up to the hype. We’re hearing that Shara Magomedov defeated Michel Pereira. That was a solid showing from both guys, but Magomedov got the nod. And then there’s the talk about the rare Suloev stretch. There’s even a poll running asking if it was automatically the best finish of the night. You know it’s a wild card when a submission like that gets people talking. It’s always great to see a card that delivers on the promise of exciting finishes, and Baku certainly did.

But not every fighter’s night went according to plan at UFC Baku. Light Heavyweight up-and-comer Julius Walker had a moment that’s gonna live in infamy, unfortunately for him. He literally predicted a first-punch knockout in a pre-fight interview, saying that would be the perfect outcome. Well, he got sparked in just eight seconds by Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev on the prelims. Talk about tempting fate! That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when you’ve put it out there like that. It’s a harsh reminder that in the cage, anything can happen, and sometimes, the fight game has a cruel sense of humor. You gotta respect the confidence, but you also gotta back it up.

Moving over to the PFL, A.J. McKee Jr. is making some serious noise. He dominated Salamat Isbulaev in the PFL San Diego main event, winning a unanimous decision with three thirty to twenty-seven scores. McKee used a suffocating grappling game, repeatedly putting Isbulaev on the canvas. This result gave McKee his third straight win since returning to featherweight and handed Isbulaev the first loss of his professional MMA career. After that performance, McKee is calling for a title shot, and honestly, who can blame him? He’s recognized as one of the top featherweights in the world, and he’s clearly hunting for gold. He’s making a strong case for himself.

Also on the PFL San Diego card, Liz Carmouche secured a big win in the co-main event, tapping out Viviane Araujo with a guillotine choke at two minutes, seven seconds of round two. That win moves Carmouche to twenty-six and eight, keeping her right at the front of the PFL’s women’s flyweight picture. Araujo, a former UFC flyweight, tried to work through clinch and takedown exchanges, but Carmouche was just too much. It’s always impressive to see a veteran like Carmouche continue to perform at such a high level and secure a finish like that. And speaking of the PFL, Bloody Elbow reported on the purses for the San Diego event, and some of the numbers are pretty surprising. A main eventer reportedly got just ten thousand dollars, and an ex-UFC title challenger also received a surprisingly low payout. It’s a stark reminder that even at the professional level, the paychecks can vary wildly in this sport.

Now, let’s talk about Alex Pereira. The former UFC light heavyweight and middleweight champion is under fire after a recent seminar in the UK. Bloody Elbow reported that fans who attended don’t think they got their money’s worth, with the seminar releasing a statement after complaints about him, saying they were “disgusted.” That’s not a good look for a fighter of Pereira’s caliber. When fans pay to attend a seminar, they expect a certain level of engagement and instruction, and it sounds like that wasn’t delivered. It’s a tough situation, and it just goes to show that even the biggest names can sometimes miss the mark outside the cage.

Back to Rafael Fiziev for a second. After his impressive win at UFC Baku, he’s already setting his sights on his next target. He’s actually targeting a BMF title fight, and he mentioned having a “little story” with Charles Oliveira. BMF Fiziev? That’s an interesting thought. Oliveira is a fan favorite, and a fight between those two would be an absolute barnburner. Fiziev’s got the momentum now, and he’s clearly looking for big fights. A BMF title shot would definitely be a money fight and a huge opportunity for him to climb even higher in the lightweight division.

That’s gonna do it for today’s show. Make sure you’re tuned in tomorrow for all the latest in the world of MMA.

Before you go, two quick things. Check out our free Fight Tracker at tracker dot open scoring m m a dot com, with every upcoming UFC and PFL card, live odds, and where to watch, all in one place. And follow us on YouTube, just search Open Scoring MMA, for breaking news alerts, fight breakdowns, and videos you won’t get here on the feed. That’s it for today’s Open Scoring MMA. Keep your hands up, and we’ll see you next time.