Shamil Gaziev vs. Brando Pericic prediction, odds, pick for UFC Perth

The UFC Perth Principal Card is heating up as we bring you one other prediction and pick for this next upcoming bout within the Heavyweight Division. No. 14-ranked Shamil Gaziev of Bahrain will tackle Australia’s own Brando Pericic seeking to knock him off his rating. Check our UFC odds series for the Gaziev-Pericic prediction and pick.

Shamil Gaziev (14-2) has gone 3-2 contained in the UFC since 2023. After notching back-to-back wins, he had three-straight fights cancelled against Serghei Spivac and ultimately fell to Waldo Cortes-Acosta his last day out. He’ll look to get back within the win column and retain his rating against a worthy newcomer. Gaziev stands 6-foot-4 with a 78.5-inch reach.

Brando Pericic (6-1) heads into his third UFC appearance with an ideal 2-0 record up up to now, most recently putting Louie Sutherland away in the primary round of his last fight. He’s finished all but one win by KO/TKO and hopes to deliver one other quick knockout in front of his Australian fans. Pericic stands 6-foot-5 with a 79.5-inch reach.

UFC Perth Odds, courtesy of DraftKings. 

UFC Perth Odds: Shamil Gaziev-Brando Pericic Odds

Shamil Gaziev: +110

Brando Pericic: -130

Over 1.5 rounds: +170

Under 1.5 rounds: -220

Why Shamil Gaziev Will Win

• Last Fight: (L) Waldo Cortes-Acosta – KO (right hook, R1)
• Last 5: 3-2
• Finishes: 9 KO/TKO, 3 SUB

Shamil Gaziev was riding the momentum of two-straight wins against Don’Tale Mayes (U-DEC) and Thomas Petersen (KO, R1) heading into his bout against Serghei Spivac a yr ago. After an initial rescheduling and subsequent withdrawals from each fighters, the bout was finally scrapped when Spivac was replaced with Cortes-Acosta. Falling to a much tougher opponent, Gaziev’s momentum was halted as he’ll must retain his rating against one other hungry prospect this time around.

Still, Gaziev’s wins come against well-rounded veterans and he’s been capable of out-perform his rating and betting odds. Gaziev is a deceptively powerful striker and while his mixtures aren’t as fluid, he’s very effective in landing at a 47% success rate. He also boasts a robust 83% takedown defense rate and can likely be the one dictating where this fight takes place.

Gaziev will likely march forward along with his jab as a feeler, winding up his straight right hand in hopes of catching Pericic on the entries. He does a fantastic job of disrupting his opponent’s rhythm with intermittent strikes and can make it difficult for Pericic to get off many clean mixtures in succession.

Why Brando Pericic Will Win

• Last Fight: (W) Louie Sutherland – TKO (punches, R1)
• Last 5: 4-1
• Finishes: 5 KO/TKO, 1 SUB

Brando Pericic steps into a very powerful bout of his pro profession with a probability to interrupt through into the heavyweight rankings in only his third UFC appearance. He made quick work of Elisha Ellison and Louie Sutherland in his first two UFC outings, notching first-round knockouts and a performance bonus in the method. With the gang support reaching a feverish pitch during this Principal Event, Pericic must have all of the motivation to finish this fight in the primary round as all of his other knockouts have gone.

Pericic is a staggering 6-foot-5 and with an almost 80-inch reach, he’ll have a slight advantage over Gaziev where he’ll look to take advantage of the striking distance. He’s great at distance management and may find a way to catch Gaziev right on the top of his punches if he’s capable of be effective from there. Watch the low calf kicks to be a standard theme as he looks to cut down Gaziev and his forward movement.

Pericic should look to harm Gaziev early and test his takedown defense as he’s been very successful along with his ground-and-pound through two UFC showings. He’s capable of remain very heavy on top and if he’s capable of stack or mount Gaziev at any point, he’ll be in prime position to finish this fight early.

Final Shamil Gaziev-Brando Pericic Prediction & Pick

Shamil Gaziev will probably be protecting his rating on this fight as he looks to bounce back from a good loss, while Brando Pericic looks to capitalize on his two-fight winning streak. Gaziev is definitely the more experienced fighter and has seen these looks before, so it’ll be interesting to see how the relative newcomer handles the experienced veteran.

While Gaziev must have his moments of success throughout this fight, Pericic has shown a fantastic ability to diagnose problems and made adjustments early into the fight. While he hasn’t been pushed past the primary round, he hasn’t felt the necessity as he’s often capable of find the goal sooner quite than later.

In a real test of his skill, I feel Brando Pericic prevails late on this fight as Shamil Gaziev pushes him past the primary round. While Gaziev is the right opponent to offer Pericic his hardest look, expect Pericic to still come out on top due to his strong striking.

Final Shamil Gaziev-Brando Pericic Prediction & Pick: Brando Pericic (-130); OVER 1.5 Rounds (+170)