Brando Pericic gets another chance to show how fast he can rise when he faces Shamil Gaziev this weekend at RAC Arena. The 31-year-old heavyweight has finished his first two UFC opponents in less than two minutes apiece, and a third straight win could put him on an accelerated path in the rankings.
Pericic, who stands 6-foot-5, has had just seven professional fights, but he has already separated himself with quick wins over Elisha Ellison and Louie Sutherland in the UFC heavyweight division. He trains at City Kickboxing, where the work has been aimed at turning raw physical gifts into something sturdier and harder to read.
That is why this matchup matters now. Gaziev brings three UFC wins and has already shared the Octagon with a couple of Top 10 opponents, so Pericic is not walking into a soft landing. He is walking into a test that says more about where he belongs than about where he started.
Pericic remains a work in progress because the experience is still limited, even as the results have come quickly. More reps in the Octagon and more time on the mats at City Kickboxing have helped him sharpen, and the promotion is watching him as one of three ascending talents worth tracking closely.
If he beats Gaziev, the next step looks clearer than the résumé might suggest. A third straight win would not just extend the streak; it would strengthen the case that Pericic is moving fast enough to force the rankings to catch up.
