June 22, 2026, 8:30 a.m. ET
The UFC is back in Azerbaijan this week as part of its multi-year agreement to bring an annual event to the capital city of Baku.Â
Here’s how to watch UFC Fight Night 280, where an Azerbaijani lightweight headlines at home.
Broadcast and streaming info
UFC Baku will take place at normal prime time hours in Azerbaijan. That means the main card streams at noon ET on Paramount+. The prelims stream on Paramount+ at 9 a.m. ET.
Stay tuned to MMA Junkie for additional broadcast details later this week.
Main event: Rafael Fiziev
- Record: 13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC
- Opponent: Manuel Torres (17-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC)
- Division: Lightweight
- Key wins: Ignacio Bahamondes, Rafael dos Anjos, Brad Riddell, Bobby Green, Renato Moicano, Marc Diakiese
- Misc.: Fiziev will have the benefit of fighting in friendly territory at home for the first time in the UFC, but he’s also got four losses in his past five fights. But this setbacks have been to new lightweight champ Justin Gaethje – twice – and recent UFC White House winner Mauricio Ruffy. In the other, a leg injury against Mateusz Gamrot spelled the beginning of the end. If ever there was a time to bounce back for him, it’s this week.
Main event: Manuel Torres
- Record: 17-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC
- Opponent: Rafael Fiziev (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC)
- Division: Lightweight
- Key wins: Grant Dawson, Drew Dober, Chris Duncan, Nikolas Motta, Frank Camacho
- Misc.: You have to go back a long way to find a fight Manuel Torres won, but didn’t get a stoppage in – like eight years ago. Everything else has ended with a tap or his fists, and in the first round – including back-to-back stoppages of Drew Dober and Grant Dawson to bounce back from an upset loss to Ignacio Bahamondes. All five of his UFC wins have come with post-fight bonuses.Â
Co-main event: Shara Magomedov
- Record: 16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC
- Opponent: Michel Pereira (32-14 MMA, 10-5 UFC)
- Division: Middleweight
- Key wins: Armen Petrosyan, Michal Oleksiejczuk, Antonio Trocoli, Bruno Silva
- Misc.: Shara “Bullet” bounced back from his first loss, to Michael Page, with a decision over Marc-Andre Barriault in a Fight of the Night winner last July. He’s been out of action since then, but before the loss to “MVP” had bonuses in three straight wins.Â
Co-main event: Michel Pereira
- Record: 32-14 MMA, 10-5 UFC
- Opponent: Shara Magomedov (16-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC)
- Division: Middleweight
- Key wins: Lerone Murphy, Ihor Potieria, Michal Oleksiejczuk, Andre Petroski, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Muslim Salikhov, Niko Price, Khaos Williams
- Misc.: The allure Pereira had a few years ago seems to have mostly faded. After three straight losses, he bounced back earlier this year with a modest split decision win over Zach Reese. But it was far from the type of outing that at one point had him with bonuses in four straight fights, and three straight first-round wins in an average of 60 seconds each.Â
UFC Baku lineup
MAIN CARD (Paramount+, Noon ET)
- Rafael Fiziev vs. Manuel Torres
- Shara Magomedov vs. Michel Pereira
- Matheus Camilo vs. Nazim Sadykhov
- Asu Almabayev vs. Charles Johnson
- Ikram Aliskerov vs. Brunno Ferreira
- Abus Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 9 a.m. ET)
- Farman Hasanov vs. Eric Nolan
- Julius Walker vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev
- Andrey Pulyaev vs. Nursulton Ruziboev
- Kaan Ofli vs. Javier Reyes
- Theodor Berggren vs. Daniil Donchenko
- Bekzat Almakhan vs. Jean Matsumoto
- Tahir Abdullayev vs. Jefferson Nascimento
UFC Baku main card betting odds
- Fiziev -120, Torres +100
- Magomedov -350, Pereira +275
- Camilo +185, Sadykhov -225
- Almabayev -220, Johnson +180
- Aliskerov -225, Ferreira +185
- Magomedov -140, Oleksiejczuk +118
UFC Baku preliminary card betting odds
- Hasanov -175, Nolan +145
- Walker +380, Yakhyaev -500
- Pulyaev +180, Ruziboev -220
- Ofli +130, Reyes -155
- Berggren +380, Donchenko -500
- Almakhan +125, Matsumoto -150
- Abdullayev vs. Nascimento N/A
