Daniel Cormier TV - Rafael Fiziev says he’s “LUCKY” to get a SECOND CHANCE vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 313

Summary

Summary of "Daniel Cormier TV - Rafael Fiziev says he’s 'LUCKY' to get a SECOND CHANCE vs. Justin Gaethje at UFC 313"

Release Date: March 8, 2025
Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Host/Author: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

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Introduction

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the focus shifts to the highly anticipated rematch between Rafael Fiziev and Justin Gaethje at UFC 313. Hosted by Daniel Jeremiah, the conversation delves deep into Fiziev's perspective on the fight, his preparations, and the strategic adjustments he plans to implement to secure a victory in this critical bout.

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Rafael Fiziev Reflects on His Second Chance

Timestamp: [03:34]

Rafael Fiziev opens the discussion by expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to face Justin Gaethje once again. Despite a challenging first encounter, Fiziev emphasizes the honor he feels in stepping into the octagon with a fighter he has long admired.

"I feel lucky to be getting this fight... I like his style. I watch him a lot... I'm lucky."
— Rafael Fiziev [03:41]

Fiziev recounts his initial admiration for Gaethje, highlighting the mutual respect between the fighters that adds significance to their rematch.

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Overcoming the First Fight's Challenges

Timestamp: [05:28]

Daniel Jeremiah prompts Fiziev to discuss the psychological aspects of facing Gaethje again, particularly after a tough first fight where Fiziev was taken down, an uncommon occurrence in his UFC career.

"Maybe a little bit on the beginning... I have a plan. Move a lot. Not going too forward... use more distance."
— Rafael Fiziev [06:08]

Fiziev acknowledges the areas where he needs improvement, especially in maintaining distance and avoiding Gaethje's powerful jabs. He outlines his strategy to stay mobile and utilize timing to prevent Gaethje from dominating the fight as he did previously.

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The Dynamics of the Lightweight Division

Timestamp: [06:35]

Jeremiah shifts the conversation to the broader context of the lightweight division, noting the presence of established stars like Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, and Islam Makhachev. He inquires whether Fiziev was surprised to be selected for a fight against such prominent fighters.

"Yes, very surprised the first time... the division has to move forward."
— Rafael Fiziev [07:18]

Fiziev acknowledges his initial surprise but also recognizes the importance of his fight in invigorating the division, allowing new contenders to emerge and compete for top positions.

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The Significance of UFC 313 for Fiziev

Timestamp: [08:29]

Fiziev discusses the critical nature of the upcoming fight, especially after suffering consecutive losses due to injuries. He emphasizes that winning against Gaethje is pivotal for his career trajectory.

"I'm happy to fight him again, like a miracle. And I understand, I need to win. I need that so much right now."
— Rafael Fiziev [08:48]

This statement underscores the dual motivation Fiziev feels: gratitude for the opportunity and the pressing necessity to secure a victory to advance his standing in the UFC.

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Training and Preparation in Thailand

Timestamp: [11:06]

The conversation shifts to Fiziev's training regimen, particularly his camp in Thailand. Despite the challenging weather conditions, Fiziev reveals his dedication to rigorous preparation.

"I've been training in Thailand since 2015... I do my camp in Killflip, Florida sometimes before a fight."
— Rafael Fiziev [11:40]

Fiziev highlights the constant evolution of his training strategies, ensuring he remains adaptable and well-prepared for the diverse challenges each fight presents.

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Anticipating Gaethje's Strategy

Timestamp: [12:26]

Jeremiah probes into Gaethje's likely tactics in the rematch, especially regarding his tendency to utilize wrestling as a means to secure victories.

"I think he did it because he understands this fight going to the end... Maybe if this fight going the same to the judges, maybe he try again."
— Rafael Fiziev [13:24]

Fiziev speculates that Gaethje will continue to leverage his wrestling prowess to control the fight's pace and outcome, prompting Fiziev to enhance his own takedown defense during training.

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Rafa’s Mental State and Motivation

Timestamp: [09:03]

When asked about the pressure he feels for this fight, Fiziev clarifies his mindset, framing it not as pressure but as a powerful motivator driving him to improve and succeed.

"It's too much motivation for me. I think this is more. Motivate me, motivate me. Make it smart."
— Rafael Fiziev [09:33]

This perspective highlights Fiziev's resilience and determination to turn past setbacks into catalysts for future triumphs.

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Concluding Insights

As the episode wraps up, Daniel Jeremiah reiterates the significance of the upcoming fight for both fighters and the UFC's lightweight division. Fiziev's candid reflections provide listeners with an in-depth understanding of his psychological and strategic preparations, setting the stage for a compelling rematch at UFC 313.

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Notable Quotes

• "I feel lucky to be getting this fight." — Rafael Fiziev [03:41]
• "I need to win so much right now." — Rafael Fiziev [08:48]
• "This is more motivation for me." — Rafael Fiziev [09:33]

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Conclusion

This episode offers a comprehensive look into Rafael Fiziev’s thoughts and strategies as he prepares for his rematch against Justin Gaethje. By addressing both the physical and mental aspects of the fight, Fiziev demonstrates his commitment to personal growth and success within the competitive landscape of the UFC.

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For those interested in following Rafael Fiziev's journey and the latest updates in the UFC, subscribing to The Herd with Colin Cowherd on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform is highly recommended.

Transcript

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[Rafael Fiziev]

Daniel.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Thank you for checking in with me, man. I appreciate it. Guys. I'm here with Rafael Fiziev fights Justin Gaethje this weekend at UFC313. Today. We spoke earlier and you said, I feel lucky to be getting this fight. How can you feel lucky to be getting this fight when all you've done in your UFC career up to this point.

[Rafael Fiziev]

Cause it's a. Yeah, it's a second chance with a guy like Justin. First one. First time when I fight with him, for me is like, wow, I fight with a guy like him, you know, because when I'm just before ufc, I fall, I follow him. Like, I like his style. Like, I watch him a lot. Like I said, like, all my people, who around me, my friends, everybody love him, where everybody like his style and almost his fans, all my friends, his fans, honestly. And I get it one time, first time, and now I get it again.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[Rafael Fiziev]

So that's why I say, like, I'm lucky.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You know, when, when you, when you're in there, right, and you have, like, seen a guy and like you said, you held him in such high regard at times, it can be a little bit overwhelming. So when I fought Anderson Silva, I look across and I go. And that. I'm fighting Anderson Silva. Right. So it took me a little bit of time to snap out of that. Did you, did you deal with that or were you able to just kind of fight him effectively from the very start?

[Rafael Fiziev]

I think, I think a little bit, yeah. A little bit, yeah. I don't remember. Sure. Right now. How it's. But maybe a little bit.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[Rafael Fiziev]

On the beginning. Yeah, maybe a little bit on the beginning. When I. Ah, yeah, I remember when I say. When I say him, like, we touch the gloves. Yeah, yeah, we touched the gloves. And he said like, yes. And he said, oh, I fight him.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Fighting Justin Gaethje, right?

[Rafael Fiziev]

We touch the gloves and we have a fight.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Start fighting.

[Rafael Fiziev]

I remember.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, yeah. You know, it's. It's amazing how fast time has passed since that first fight. The very beginning of the fight. You're fighting well. Right? You're fighting. Excuse me. Sorry. All right. You're fighting really good. At the very beginning of the fight, as the fight went on, he kind of started to use his experience to pull away from you. What are you gonna do to make sure that that doesn't happen again?

[Rafael Fiziev]

Yeah, like, first fight, I also have a plan. Like, move a lot. Not going too forward. Not bone and bone, you know, and stay far from his jab. Stay far from the. This. What he. Like, the brawl. Whole close distance, this one. Yeah. Stay far from this. Use more distance. Use the timings. But this time, I have to. I just have to follow this.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[Rafael Fiziev]

Because before on the first fight, I don't. I don't follow that. Like, zero.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You know, at 155, right. There's a lot of guys that have been there for a long time. So it's Dustin Poirier, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje. Now Islam. And Tsarukian has worked his way into that. And so did you. Were you surprised the first time you got to fight Gaethje? Because those guys have been unwilling to let the new guys in. Right. There's this great group of new guys. It was you, Tsarukian Gamrot, but you guys always stayed, like, 6, 7, 8, because you couldn't get those guys to fight you. Were you surprised that he fought you the first time? And are you surprised that he's fighting you the second time?

[Rafael Fiziev]

Yes, very surprised the first time. I'm very surprised the second time. Like, these guys who. Who you talk about this is everybody stars? Like a stars.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

They're all stars.

[Rafael Fiziev]

Yeah.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And they want to fight just each other.

[Rafael Fiziev]

Yeah, yeah.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

But the division has to move forward.

[Rafael Fiziev]

The division have to move and have to mix it, you know, Like, I fight Gaethje Benoist, and then if I fought Dustin. Yeah, Dustin.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

But you guys started that before. Nobody could break in. And then when Justin fought you, everybody else kind of started to mix the younger guys in.

[Rafael Fiziev]

And I don't believe for that first time and right now, the same, like, for me, like, wow, I. Fighting him again, is this Chad's second chance? I'm like, well, let's go.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

But before, it might have been a little bit of a. Like, I'm in awe. But, like, now it's more like I gotta beat this guy. Right? You gotta feel like now this is an opportunity where you lost adjust and then you got injured in the fight against. Who do you fight? Gamrot.

[Rafael Fiziev]

Right.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You had injured against Gamrot, the fight behind. So now you've dropped two in a row. This one has to feel like an opportunity that you have to win. Right. Because if one went over Justin Gaethje puts you right back in line where you want to be.

[Rafael Fiziev]

For me, it's the same like, yes, I like, wow. I fight Justin Gage and like I have to win like a first fight. Also like, oh, wow. I fight Justin Gaethje and like I have to win him because like, yeah. After the win, what has happened to me, like close to the belt.

[DC]

Yeah.

[Rafael Fiziev]

Can fight with other star and like many, many ways to open. So it's both. It's both. I'm happy to fight him again, like miracle. And I understand, like, I need to win. I need that so much right now.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Do you feel a little more pressure to get a victory this time or no, Honestly?

[Rafael Fiziev]

Yeah. Yeah, of course. Little bit. It's just too lost, too lost, too lost. And I not win like two more years. I know. I don't feel this distaste. Like my hand is raised. Yes. So right now it's very important to me. I can't say this is pressure to me. I think this is more. Motivate me, motivate me. Make it smart.

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[Daniel Jeremiah]

So you do your training camp in Thailand. You like it there, huh?

[Rafael Fiziev]

I like.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You came in here with a jacket on, like you're freezing, like what is happening?

[Rafael Fiziev]

Look outside they'll rain, but this rain feel like snow, you know, for me.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Is it hot in Thailand?

[Rafael Fiziev]

Very hot. Yeah. This is 30, 35 plus. Plus 30, 35 degree Celsius.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[Rafael Fiziev]

I don't know how much in Americans.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

But maybe like 90 degrees. Yeah. So how long have you been. How long has you always trained in Thailand? Has it always been at that place?

[Rafael Fiziev]

Yeah, since 15. Wow, 2015. I'm there. I'm just. I do my camp sometime when I have time before fight. I do my camp in Killflip, Florida.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Yeah.

[Rafael Fiziev]

Yeah. But this time, yeah, no head time.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

So Saturday we walk into the arena, right? The feeling of being in there after being. It's already been almost two years. Like you said, the feeling of being in there when you've been so close. Because I heard that you've been offered multiple fights over the course of this time. You were ready to fight since August. What do you anticipate it's going to feel like when you first walk into the arena and it's almost time to get going? Because that's a feeling that most can't truly understand.

[Rafael Fiziev]

You know that feeling?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I do, but what about you?

[Rafael Fiziev]

When I start walk, when I hear my walk music, like I forget about everything. I start to enjoy. Really? Really. I love that. And I start to enjoy hundred percent. I forget about everything. I know I have a guy who I have to fight and I don't think about anything. I'm going and I know people watching me, people wait how I going to. How I. How I fight right now. People waited, people wanted and I'm sure I believe like I can show them like what they want. So I'm really enjoying on this time.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Justin took you down last time. That's not something he does very often inside the octagon. You think he's going to try to wrestle a little more frequently this fight or do you anticipate he's going to stand again? Because I believe he took you down because you were being so successful with your striking.

[Rafael Fiziev]

I think he did it because he understand this fight going to the end to Georges and he need to make some points for the win. So maybe if this fight going the same to the judges, maybe he try again. Maybe I try. Who know?

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Have you been working on it? Have you been working on a takedown defense? You're not a guy that gets taken down very easily like, but he was able to secure a couple Jones go. Has he been working on it? Who's he been working with?

[Rafael Fiziev]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I working about it. Always. Always wrestle like how many, how many days a week? Always train my wrestling. But yeah, he catch me on good.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Just timing. Right.

[Rafael Fiziev]

I remember. Yeah, I go in like. Because I remember close fight, you start going hard. 1, 2, 3. And he. And he, and he go down.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Level change, level change.

[Rafael Fiziev]

And yeah, he get it.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah. This is an amazing fight. I cannot wait. I'm glad you got it, my man. Guys, Rafael Fazeev takes on Justin Gaethj this weekend at UFC 313 in the co main event three round fight. Yeah, you wanted three rounds or five rounds?

[Rafael Fiziev]

Oh, right now, no, three rounds is bad. Three rounds is all you.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Just three, huh? Yeah. Takes on just to gage you the co main event. Make sure you guys tap in everything he's doing and like subscribe and tell your friends. I'm hanging out with guys like Rafa. Until next time. Peace.

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