Shamil Gaziev has revealed significant details about his weight cut ahead of UFC Perth. According to Gaziev, he weighed 140 kilograms at the start of his training camp and has since dropped to 119.85 kilograms based on recent photos. The heavyweight competes in a division with a 120-kilogram weight limit. The post notes the dramatic weight reduction but provides limited additional context about Gaziev's preparation or upcoming bout.
Shamil Gaziev has shared a striking look at his physical transformation heading into UFC Perth, revealing he began his training camp at 140 kilograms and has since trimmed down to 119.85 kilograms — just under the heavyweight division's 120-kilogram limit.
Gaziev, 36, represents Bahrain out of KHK MMA and currently sits ranked 11th in the UFC heavyweight division with a professional record of 14 wins and 3 losses. Standing six-foot-four with a 78-inch reach, he carries the frame you would expect of a heavyweight, which makes the scale of his camp-long cut all the more notable. He enters the bout as an orthodox striker who lands 2.62 significant strikes per minute at a 47 percent accuracy rate, while also mixing in nearly one takedown attempt per 15 minutes of fight time.
Why it matters
- Gaziev arrived at camp roughly 20 kilograms above the heavyweight limit, a substantial starting point even for a big fighter in a no-cut division.
- His ability to reach 119.85 kilograms suggests he will come in comfortably under the 120-kilogram ceiling, potentially leaving room to rehydrate to a significant size advantage.
- The heavyweight landscape is always shaped by who can perform at their natural best on fight night, and a clean weight-in removes one variable from Gaziev's preparation.
Dropping more than 20 kilograms across a single camp is a significant undertaking at heavyweight, where athletes are not expected to endure the kind of dramatic cuts common in lighter divisions. Whether that reduction reflects improved conditioning, disciplined nutrition, or both, Gaziev appears to be arriving at UFC Perth close to competition weight ahead of his scheduled appearance.
