Mar 8, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Justin Gaethje (red gloves) fights Rafael Fiziev (blue gloves) during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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UFC 313 Loss Makes Rafael Fiziev Contemplate a Huge Change!

After a string of losses, Rafael Fiziev believes he needs to change his weight class to find success in the UFC!

Mar 8, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Justin Gaethje (red gloves) fights Rafael Fiziev (blue gloves) during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Packed with killers from top to bottom, UFC lightweight division is where technical wizards and heavy-handed brawlers collide in spectacular fashion. Over the years, fans have seen countless fighters struggle with the weight cut to make the 155-pound limit, often compromising their performance in the process.

Names like Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, and Charles Oliveira have all openly discussed the brutal toll that shedding those final pounds takes on their bodies. Now, another lightweight standout, Rafael Fiziev is considering a change in weight class. However, he is not moving up in weight, but thinking of going down!

Also Read: Gaethje vs. Fiziev 2 an Instant Classic Again As ‘The Highlight’ and ‘Aatman’ Deliver Absolute Slugfest

Rafael Fiziev’s Move To Featherweight

Rafael Fiziev burst onto the UFC scene with his matrix-like defense and devastating Muay Thai, is contemplating a move to featherweight. This comes fresh off his unanimous decision loss to Justin Gaethje at UFC 313 this past weekend in Las Vegas. The bout, which Fiziev took on short notice, left him feeling undersized against the powerful Gaethje.

“I’m thinking right now about changing weight divisions. I’m starting to think about changing weight divisions because I really cut weight very easy this time and this was short notice. It was very easy. All this week my nutritionist Jason, he tried to gain my weight because my weight go low so fast. Right now, I have to think about it,” Fiziev told Ariel Helwani.

Rafael Fiziev shares he is contemplating a move to featherweight 👀

"I'm start to think about changing weight divisions because I cut weight very easy this time, and this was short notice.

These guys have trouble if I come there. They'll be in trouble, man, everybody." pic.twitter.com/nazMkE3nw9
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) March 11, 2025

When a fighter is actively trying to keep weight on during fight week, that is usually a pretty good sign they are competing in the wrong division. Most UFC athletes are limping around like zombies during the final days before weigh-ins, not looking for ways to avoid dropping too much weight!

At 32 years old with a 12-4 record, he has reached a critical juncture in his career. The loss to Gaethje marks his third defeat in his last four outings. A change in weight class could be exactly what the doctor ordered to rejuvenate his career. Fans have seen this strategy work wonders before. Just look at how Dustin Poirier and Charles Oliveira transformed into world-beaters after moving up from featherweight.

Fiziev isn’t interested in taking the slow path if he does drop down to 145 pounds. He is already putting the featherweight division on notice. The transition won’t be without its challenges, though. While Fiziev claims the weight cut would be manageable, dropping an additional ten pounds can affect everything from power to cardio.

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Ariel Helwani

Justin Gaethje

Rafael Fiziev

UFC 313

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!