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Fighters on the Rise | UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Gaziev
Turning A Spotlight On Standout Emerging Talents In Three Key Divisions Set To Compete This Weekend In Las Vegas
After a two-week road trip that included stops in Anaheim and Mexico City, the action inside the Octagon returns to the familiar confines of the UFC APEX for a prospect-laden card capped by an intriguing bout in the heavyweight division.
You could make a case that Saturday’s event features the top emerging talents in four different divisions — heavyweight, light heavyweight, bantamweight, and flyweight — with a couple additional ascending names in the 125- and 135-pound weight classes and a promising middleweight mixed in there, to boot.
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While you can get the scoop on all the matchups set to take place this weekend in the Fight-By-Fight Preview, here is your closer look at three of the elite up-and-comers that will be throwing hands inside the APEX in the latest edition of Fighters on the Rise.
Shamil Gaziev
In just his second UFC appearance, Gaziev is stationed to take on Top 15 fixture Jairzinho Rozenstruik in Saturday night’s main event.
The undefeated heavyweight punched his ticket to the UFC with a first-round submission win over Greg Velasco last September on Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) and followed that up with an impressive second-round stoppage victory over Martin Buday on the UFC 296 prelims to advance to 12-0 overall.
Rarely do sophomores get hustled into headlining assignments, but Gaziev is in a unique position.
He’s 34 years old, unbeaten, and fought some solid competition on the regional circuit, including stopping former UFC competitor Darko Stosic in his final bout before venturing to Las Vegas last fall. Given how one-sided his bout with Buday was in December, there’s no real reason to bring him along slowly in the currently wide-open heavyweight division.
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Saturday’s matchup with Rozenstruik is a strong test for Gaziev, who hails from Dagestan and trains in the Kingdom of Bahrain. While “Bigi Boy” is coming off a loss and has landed on the wrong side of the results in three of his last four outings, he’s only ever lost to ranked competitors and still brandishes the kind of punching power that can stop just about anyone in the division.
These are the kinds of matchups we need to see with fighters like Gaziev that are a little older and show clear signs of upside. We saw Abus Magomedov dropped into a comparable situation last summer, and while that didn’t work out in his favor, it did immediately establish where he fit in the middleweight ranks.
This fight should do the same for Gaziev this weekend.
Vitor Petrino
Petrino is not only the top emerging name in the light heavyweight division, but he’s also one of the most intriguing young fighters on the entire roster.
Like Gaziev, the 26-year-old Brazilian earned his way onto the UFC roster with a stoppage win on Dana White’s Contender Series, finishing Rodolfo Bellato in the second round to advance his record to 7-0 with six stoppages. Since then, the athletic and powerful Petrino has posted three victories in as many appearances, ratcheting up the dominance each time out.
After edging out Anton Turkalj in his uneven debut, the Cristiano Marcelo protege methodically worked to secure a third-round submission win over Marcin Prachnio in his second UFC showing, listening to the advice of his corner to find the arm triangle choke finish. And last time out, Petrino showcased the power in his hands by flooring Modestas Buskauskas with a beautiful, tight left hook in the second to bring his unbeaten streak to double digits.
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
Saturday evening, Petrino gets a step up in competition as he takes on Tyson Pedro.
The Australian veteran was a constant presence in the Top 15 prior to missing several years due to a series of different injuries. Since returning, Pedro has posted a 3-1 record with three first-round finishes, most recently dispatching Turkalj at UFC 293.
There is plenty of reason to be excited about Petrino and his potential in the light heavyweight division — he’s undefeated, has shown fight-ending power and a solid submission base, while also clearly having considerable room to grow and develop. This is the type of matchup that will provide greater understanding of where the Brazilian is at in terms of his growth and station in the division, and an opportunity to revise projections for his future.
Umar Nurmagomedov
Sound the trumpets — Umar Nurmagomedov is back!
The standout bantamweight prospect competes for the first time in over year this weekend, taking on promotional newcomer Bekzat Almakhan in his long-awaited return to action.
Unbeaten in 16 professional appearances and currently positioned at No. 13 in the 135-pound ranks, Nurmagomedov has been ticketed for title contention since debuting in the Octagon just over three years ago with a win over Sergey Morozov. Additional wins over Brian Kelleher, Nate Maness and Raoni Barcelos only further strengthen his standing as the best prospect in the division and one of the top ascending talents in the entire sport, but his frequent and extended absences from competition have slowed his momentum.
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In terms of skills, the 28-year-old is the complete package — a dynamic striker who, despite his last name, is more comparable in style and approach to lightweight champ Islam Makhachev than his cousin Khabib. He flashed his skills on the ground in his early wins over Morozov and Kelleher and put his finishing abilities on the feet on display with his first-round finish of Barcelos last time out.
Saturday’s pairing with the debuting Almakhan underscores how difficult it has been for the matchmakers to find willing dance partners for Nurmagomedov, despite the fact that the 26-year-old from Kazakhstan arrives with a 17-1 record and riding a nine-fight winning streak.
This weekend feels like a chance for Nurmagomedov to get back into the swing of things and remind everyone of his elite abilities. He’s the genuine article and has all the markings of an elite contender in the talent-rich bantamweight division; all he needs to do is compete a little more frequently in order to put himself in the championship queue.
UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Gaziev took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 2, 2024. See the final Prelims and Main Card results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
