Overall, this fight felt like a Mexican standoff. It's those types of fight where there isn't much output from both guys, but whenever there is, it's super explosive. It's the kind of match that I enjoy, second to a technical war.
After the fight, I thought Riddell would've won by split decision if the knockout didn't happen, since I thought he was landing slightly more strikes. I gave the fight a second watch to make sure I was correct, and now I think Fiziev would've won since he kept countering Riddell with clean hooks as he made his entries.
I guess this just goes to show that I'm kind of biased against guys who stick to countering instead of going first (Fiziev, in this case), especially if the amount of punches thrown from both guys are very close. It also highlights the importance of paying attention, since there are many times where a change in the camera angle can make you unsure if a punch landed or not.
Still, I think Fiziev can benefit as a fighter by just being the guy who goes first most of the time, since we all know that he has the technique to do so.
I do like Fiziev's knockout, though. It's a textbook example of using the wheel kick to counter a circling opponent, which is the most practical way to use the wheel kick, in my opinion. Speaking of kicks, I noticed that Fiziev was hitting Riddell hard with the switch kick, which makes sense because Riddell's elbows are flared out while he has his guard up, CKB style.
To me, Fiziev is the guy Barboza probably wishes he was. Fiziev does pretty much everything he does, but better. Full stop.
EDIT: It's also worth mentioning that the commentary can really sway your decision making too, so it's best to turn it off. I think Bisping said that Riddell was landing more even though Fiziev was pushing him back, which most likely influenced my thought that Riddell would've won if there was no knockout.
Oh and btw, I gave the fight one final watch and found this gem. real cheeky
Fiziev vs Riddell 4.mp4