Azerbaijani UFC fighter Rafael Fiziev has been forced to withdraw from his scheduled bout against former UFC champion Charles Oliveira due to a knee injury.
According to Idman.biz, Fiziev shared the news himself in a video posted on social media.
“Everyone is asking why I pulled out of the fight. I injured my knee again. I was training hard, preparing, and pushing myself, but my knee gave out again. Ligament tear, meniscus… basically a whole bouquet of issues. Right now, it’s very important to heal properly. I’ve already had two surgeries on this knee. I definitely don’t want a third one, so I need time for proper treatment,” Fiziev said in his message.
The Azerbaijani fighter also discussed his expected return to the octagon:
“I’ll spend a couple of months recovering and I think I’ll be back in action after the New Year. I’ll need to earn a good fight again. Pray for me so I can recover quickly,” he added.
Fiziev’s fight against Charles Oliveira was originally scheduled for October 11 in Rio de Janeiro. The Azerbaijani fighter will now be replaced by Polish contender Mateusz Gamrot.
Teymur Tushiyev
