UFC lightweight veteran Rafael dos Anjos is still fighting 155-pound upstart Rafael Fiziev, but not atop the UFC Vegas 48 card on Feb. 19 in Las Vegas. Instead, the promotion has rebooked their five-round showdown for the UFC 272 pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event, scheduled for March 5, also in “Sin City.”
Visa issues on Fiziev’s side are to blame, according to Ariel Helwani.
Dos Anjos (30-13) tried to reinvent himself at 170 pounds and despite a red-hot start, the well-traveled Brazilian would later succumb to the division’s best wrestlers. “RDA” eventually returned to lightweight with a split-decision win over veteran slugger Paul Felder back in Nov. 2020.
Fiziev (11-1) got a rude welcome to UFC when Magomed Mustafaev kicked him into the phantom zone back in April 2019. Since that debut loss, the Azerbaijani bruiser has been nothing short of unstoppable, racking up five straight wins with two highlight-reel knockouts.
Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill is expected to take over headlining duties at UFC Vegas 48.
UFC 272 will be headlined by the welterweight grudge match between bitter rivals Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. Elsewhere on the card, heavyweight bruiser Greg Hardy competes on what could be the final fight of his UFC contract opposite Serghei Spivac, while Edson Barboza and Bryce Mitchell collide at 145 pounds.
For the latest UFC 272 fight card and PPV lineup click here.