Ryan Wohl gives his picks for Saturday\u2019s UFC Fight Night in Azerbaijan, headlined by Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres.<\/p>\n
For the second straight year, the UFC is hosting an event in Baku, Azerbaijan. This card is being headlined by Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres in a top-15 Lightweight matchup. Since this event is taking place in Azerbaijan, the Prelims are set to begin at 9:00 a.m. ET with the Main Card starting at 12:00 p.m. ET on Paramount+. <\/p>\n
Set your\u00a0DraftKings<\/a>\u00a0fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $300K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]<\/a>. <\/p>\n Check out my favorite fighters to add to your daily fantasy lineup for Saturday\u2019s UFC Fight Night event.<\/p>\n Ikram Aliskerov ($9,100)<\/p>\n Ikram Aliskerov is 4-1 in the UFC and has won two straight fights since suffering a loss to Robert Whittaker. Now he will take on Brunno Ferreira, who lost to Gregory Rodrigues in his previous fight at UFC 326 in March. Aliskerov is 17-2 in his career with 12 finishes, while Ferreira\u2019s record stands at 15-3 with 14 wins by knockout or submission. <\/p>\n In this matchup, Aliskerov is taller (6\u20190\u2033 vs. 5\u201910\u201d) and has a greater standing reach (76\u2033 vs. 72\u2033). Statistically, Aliskerov is the much better fighter in this contest. Aliskerov averages more than three significant strikes per minute, as Ferreira does. Also on the ground, Aliskerov lands 3.20 takedowns per 15 minutes, compared to Ferreira\u2019s 1.25. <\/p>\n Aliskerov has been a top-tier performer from a fantasy standpoint, scoring at least 108 points in four of his five UFC fights. With Aliskerov\u2019s versatile skill set and the momentum he brings into this bout, he is well-positioned to continue his winning streak against Ferreira. <\/p>\n Manuel Torres ($8,000)<\/p>\n Manuel Torres has won two straight fights and is looking to extend his winning streak against Rafael Fiziev in the main event of this week\u2019s UFC Fight Night. Fiziev is coming off a loss to Mauricio Ruffy and is 1-4 in his previous five UFC fights. <\/p>\n Torres has the physical advantages as he has a two-inch edge in height (5\u201910\u201d vs. 5\u20198\u2033) and standing reach (73\u2033 vs. 71\u2033). On paper, Torres is better on the feet and on the ground. Torres averages 7.29, which is 2.58 more than Fiziev. Also, Torres\u2019 ground game is better, as he lands 1.72 takedowns per 15 minutes, which is more than Fiziev\u2019s 0.83. <\/p>\n In the UFC, Torres has been an elite fantasy contributor, scoring at least 102 points in five of his six fights in the promotion. Getting Torres at\u00a0$8,000\u00a0is an excellent addition to your lineup, considering the upside he possesses. Momentum in MMA is a real thing, and Torres has it while Fiziev\u2019s best days are currently behind him.<\/p>\n Charles Johnson ($7,300)<\/p>\n Charles Johnson is coming off a win against Bruno Silva and is now facing Asu Almabayev. Although Johnson is 2-2 in his previous four fights, he has shown elite upside in the past. Since 2024, Johnson is 6-2 in the UFC and has wins over current UFC Flyweight Champion Joshua Van and No. 6 Lone\u2019er Kavanagh. During his career, the talent has been evident, but he has lacked consistency at times. <\/p>\n Almabayev has won two consecutive fights and submitted Alex Perez in his previous contest in November 2025. In this fight, Johnson has a massive height advantage (5\u20199\u2033 vs. 5\u20194\u2033) and a reach advantage (70\u2033 vs. 65\u2033). On the feet is where Johnson is best, as he averages 2.46 more significant strikes than Almabayev. Almabayev lands 4.46 takedowns per 15 minutes, but he could struggle in that area, as Johnson has a 69 percent takedown defense rate. <\/p>\n In three of Johnson\u2019s previous four victories, he has totaled at least 85 fantasy points. Since he is the bigger fighter in this matchup, Johnson should be able to keep Almabayev at range while picking him apart on the feet. When Johnson enters a fight with confidence from the start, he is an extremely dangerous fighter. Getting Johnson at only $7,300 is an elite play and gives your lineup a higher ceiling. <\/p>\n Set your\u00a0DraftKings<\/a>\u00a0fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $300K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]<\/a>. <\/p>\n More UFC Content<\/p>\n