Fiziev Plummets From No. 11 to Unranked, But Manuel Torres Is STILL Coming For a Title Shot

Holy smokes, Emerald City, did you see the rankings drop this week? It's fight week, and Saturday night in Baku is gonna be WILD! Manuel Torres, our man at 17-3 MMA and 5-1 UFC, is geared up for his main event showdown against Rafael Fiziev, who's sitting at 13-5 MMA and 7-5 UFC. But get THIS: the brand new Meta-based rankings hit on Monday, and Fiziev, who was just chilling at No. 11 lightweight, is now UNRANKED. Unranked! Meanwhile, Torres actually MOVED UP two spots, from No. 15 to No. 13. You'd think that'd change everything for Torres's title aspirations, right? Nah, not a chance, not for this dude.

Rankings Don't Mean Squat When You're Built For War

Seriously, the dude is ice cold. When asked about Fiziev's sudden drop from the top, Torres told MMA Junkie through an interpreter, "I don't think it goes against me because he's always giving good fights, and if you think about it, he's had two amazing battles against Justin Gaethje, who's now the champion." He's not wrong there, Gaethje is the champ! Torres followed up, "I don't think it gets in my way or it's detrimental to me. I'm just going to go out there and fight." That's the attitude you gotta love, right? Who cares about numbers when you've got a war in front of you?

Round One Finishes, But Ready for Five Rounds, Easy

This isn't some

Trade on Every Game with Kalshi

Click Here to sign up to Kalshi — Free $10 when you sign up using our link or use code: ONTAPSEA. The only federally regulated prediction market in the US. Trade on real sports outcomes. Available in all 50 states.

rookie we're talking about, folks. Torres is a certified finish machine. He's ranked No. 2, right behind Terrance McKinney, for the shortest average fight time in the history of the UFC lightweight division. Every single one of his UFC wins has ended in Round 1! Can you believe that? But here's the kicker: he's never gone past the first round in the UFC, and this main event against Fiziev is his first five-round dance. Is he worried? Absolutely not. Torres is prepped. "I prepare myself for five rounds, six, seven, we are very well prepared for this," he said. "People who see my fights understand that if the opportunity presents itself, I will find it. I'm not going to waste it, and that's how I'm able to finish my fights." He sees this as a straight-up brawl. "I believe it's going to be a war. It'll be a striking battle, and I'm ready for more rounds if needed." So, what's at stake here for Torres? Everything. He's eyeing that title picture hard. He's got Arman Tsarukyan pegged as the No. 1 contender, and he's watching the Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint Denis scrap at UFC 329 like a hawk. But for Saturday night, it's all about Rafael Fiziev. Take him out, and Torres is convinced he's in the mix. "Myself as well, I'm there in the mix, and if I do well, I do believe that I could get a title shot as well." This is it, Seattle. Watch Manuel Torres fight Saturday on UFC Fight Night 280. You don't want to miss a second!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.