Shamil Gaziev VS Brando Peričić

In a heavy-hitting heavyweight clash, Peričić secured a highlight-reel knockout in the second round. After a grinding first round filled with clinch battles and positional jockeying, Peričić began to figure out Gaziev's timing on the feet. Just past the midway point of the middle frame, the fighters broke off the fence, and Peričić went to work. He pressed forward, bashing Gaziev with heavy strikes before uncorking a massive right hand that connected flush on the jaw. Gaziev was immediately slumped, putting him down for the count and prompting the referee to intervene at 3:44 of Round 2, announcing Peričić as a serious threat in the heavyweight division.

Shamil Gaziev, a cult figure in the heavyweight division known for his knockout power and candid personality, looks to bounce back from a stoppage loss to Waldo Cortes-Acosta in Qatar while simultaneously proving he can still perform against legitimate opposition after showing inconsistency at the top level. Brando Pericic, out of City Kickboxing, has produced first-round finishes in each of his last four bouts — including a sub-two-minute KO of Louie Sutherland at UFC London — and now steps into a ranked fight for the first time, with a statement win potentially vaulting him into the division's top fifteen.