Justin Gaethje is not the only one who thinks he was being beaten for a title shot at UFC 317.
The #3-ranking UFC light weight competition was one of the few seductive options for the undefeated Ilia Topuria during the International Fight Week of this year on 28 June.
Gaethje has won three of his last four fights and the former BMF title holder thought he was the next one for the title after beating Rafael Fiziev a second time at UFC 313.
However, the UFC eventually went a different direction and hired former champion Charles Oliveira to fight Topuria in the Main Event of UFC 317.
Gaethje's last opponent Fiziev has weighed the title shot and does not go to 'the highlight'.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Rafael Fiziev says that Justin Gaethje deserves the following title shot
A talented Muay Thai striker, Fiziev gave Gaethje some of his heaviest fights in the Octagon.
Gaethje was able to get through Fiziev twice on UFC 286 and UFC 313, in which former interim champion Dustin Poirier was eliminated between the fighting. Gaethje was also by Max Holloway on UFC 300 in April 2024.
Yet Fiziev says that Gaethje, not Oliveira, should have been the next one for the lightweight title on UFC 317.
“He definitely deserves the title shot,” Fiziev told MMA Fighting's Mike Heck.
“Not because he just hit me.
“If not him, who deserves the title shot?” Fiziev added.
“He stayed at the top for a long time. [For a] For a long time he stayed in the top 3.
'He just lost to Max [Holloway]. I think he deserves this and when he becomes [the winner of Topuria vs. Oliveira]I am happy for him, “Fiziev said.
Rafael Fiziev tries to bounce back from three-fighter losing skid at UFC Baku
The #11-ranking UFC light weight, Fiziev, has seen better days in the UFC.
Once on the way to the UFC title with six-right victories, Fiziev has now dropped three fights with decision reports against Gaethje and a leg injury TKO to Gamrot to Mateusz.
Fiziev will compete against a game candidate in Chile's Ignacio Bahamondores in the Co-Main event of UFC Baku on Saturday.
Bahamondes has won six of his last seven fights and retired top candidate Jalin Turner with an entry in the first round on UFC 313, the same night Gaethje and Fiziever.