Fiziev dismisses UFC's Meta AI rankings as 'elephant sh*t' after knockout win in Baku

Rafael Fiziev knocked out Manuel Torres in the main event of UFC Baku on Saturday, then wasted no time turning his post-fight press conference into a referendum on the promotion’s newly introduced Meta AI rankings system.

Fiziev, who was not ranked in the top 15 heading into the contest, was asked for his thoughts on the new structure. He did not mince words. “New rankings system is elephant shit,” he told reporters at the post-fight press conference.

The victory ends a difficult run for the veteran lightweight, who entered the night with just one win from his previous five outings. Fiziev was quick to add context to that record, noting that two of those losses came against current lightweight champion Justin Gaethje — both competitive decisions — a fact he feels the rankings system fails to account for. “Everybody knows me,” he said. “Everybody knows that I fight with the champion twice.”

When pressed on whether the highlight-reel finish should put him in title contention, Fiziev was notably measured. “I’m far away from the champion, bro. I don’t like talking about the miracle stuff,” he said, before floating an alternative target. “I think I have a name for ‘BMF,’ maybe.”

The UFC’s Meta AI-powered rankings were introduced by the promotion as a data-driven alternative to the traditional media panel system. Fiziev’s absence from the top 15 before Saturday’s win drew attention to one of the early criticisms of the new model — that fighters with high-profile résumés but recent losing streaks can be undervalued regardless of the quality of their opposition.

With the knockout now on the books, Fiziev is expected to enter the updated rankings in the coming week. Whether the system places him where he believes he belongs is another matter entirely.