Shamil Gaziev has revealed he weighed 140 kilograms at the start of his training camp for UFC Perth. According to a photo, the heavyweight has since cut down to 119.85 kilograms as he prepares for the event. This represents a significant weight cut of over 20 kilograms during his camp. Gaziev competes in the heavyweight division, which has a limit of 120 kilograms (265 pounds). The Russian fighter's weight management is particularly notable given that UFC Perth is in Australia, where recovery time is reportedly half of what it typically is elsewhere due to time zone differences.
Shamil Gaziev has offered a striking look at his weight management ahead of UFC Perth, revealing he began his training camp at 140 kilograms before trimming down to 119.85 kilograms — just under the heavyweight limit of 120 kilograms — as fight week approaches.
Gaziev, who competes out of KHK MMA and represents Bahrain, carries the frame to absorb that kind of bulk. The 36-year-old stands six-foot-four with a 78-inch reach, and his heavyweight credentials are well established. Ranked eleventh in the division with a professional record of 14-3, he lands 2.62 significant strikes per minute at a 47 percent accuracy rate, while also mixing in takedown threats at just under one attempt per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Gaziev is shedding more than 20 kilograms across camp to land inside the 265-pound heavyweight ceiling, an unusually large fluctuation even for the division.
- UFC Perth adds a logistical wrinkle: the Australia location reportedly compresses post-weigh-in recovery time due to time zone differences, meaning the margin for a smooth cut is tighter than usual.
- At ranked eleventh in the heavyweight standings, a strong performance in Perth could push Gaziev further into contention in one of the UFC's most competitive big-man divisions.
The photo evidence Gaziev shared puts the 119.85-kilogram figure on record with little more than a sliver of room to spare, underlining the precision required when cutting in a division that carries essentially no buffer below its weight ceiling.
