Rafael Fiziev came out on top against his friend and former teammate Brad Riddell after landing a stunning spinning-wheel kick to get a third-round TKO at UFC Vegas 44. Billed as a potential fight of the year contender, there may not have been as many fireworks on display as expected, but Saturday night’s lightweight co-main event was certainly a thrilling tactical battle. The two men – who had identical 10-1 records heading into the bout – repeatedly collided with lightning-fast flurries throughout a tight affair, which seemed to be all square at one round apiece heading into the third, before the Kyrgyz caught the New Zealander late on. The No 12-ranked “Quake” seemed to freeze against the fence after getting hit flush on the jaw out of nowhere, and referee Herb Dean made a brilliant call before Fiziev could swarm in and land even more punishment. MY WORD! Spinning wheel kick by @RafaelFiziev froze Riddell 🥶 #UFCVegas44 pic.twitter.com/WjZgdJGa7P — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 5, 2021 “I waited for this moment for three rounds,” Fiziev told UFC commentator Daniel Cormier. “I didn’t turn because I know when he goes this way he drops his hand down and he forgets about spinning back kicks. Sometimes it happens.” With victory, No 14-ranked Fiziev made it five wins in a row since losing his UFC debut to Magomed Mustafaev via spinning-back kick and punches in April 2019. He also continued his habit of making comedic call-outs in his post-fight Octagon interviews. Having previously challenged MMA social media sensation Hasbulla to get in the cage, this time he pointed to Hollywood star Vince Vaughn, who was sat cageside at the UFC Apex. “I don’t want to call someone, but give me three months and I’m ready to fight again,” Fiziev told Cormier, before adding, tongue in cheek: “We have one legend here, maybe he wants to fight with me? His name Vince Vaughan. Yeah, I love him.” Who better for @RafaelFiziev to callout than... Vince Vaughn sitting cageside 😆 #UFCVegas44 pic.twitter.com/xOrQHJLGJy — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 5, 2021 Vaughn, who laughed and clapped after the call-out, certainly seemed to enjoy what he had seen. There was incredible speed and composure on display from both men in a cagey opening round, but Riddell made a hot start to round two, switching up his stance to give Fiziev problems. Fiziev responded, however, splitting Riddell wide open with a right elbow, a gaping cut above the 30-year-old’s left eyebrow which the cageside doctor took a long look at before the third round. “If it gets any bigger we’ll have to stop it,” he told Dean. Fiziev certainly looked the more comfortable and confident of the two in the final round, and Riddell went for the takedown twice. The 28-year-old Fiziev was able to fend off the Kiwi, before landing that fight-ending strike – just the 15th wheel kick knockout in UFC history. “My brother I’m so sorry, you’ll come back,” Fizzier told City Kickboxing’s Riddell, whom he used to spar with at Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket, Thailand, as they hugged after the fight. “I love him,” Fiziev, who has been training out of Sanford MMA in Florida during the coronavirus pandemic, said to Cormier. “When I met him, I loved him from the first second. He’s a very good guy, a very nice person, and I learn from him before and today also. And I hope he comes back.”