Shamil Gaziev hints at his next UFC fight in the wake of Alex Pereira callout
Shamil Gaziev has been making waves in the MMA realm since his terrifying KO win in his latest Octagon appearance.
Shamil Gaziev has lately earned praise from fight fans and experts alike, particularly for the defensive improvements he's made in his striking arsenal.
The Dagestan-born fighter also piqued fan interest with his recent callout of combat sports megastar, former two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira. Additionally, Gaziev has now hinted that his next fight could be around the corner, even suggesting where it could take place.
UFC icon Alex Pereira and Shamil Gaziev's contrasting recent fights
Alex Pereira has long been beheld as one of the greatest strikers to have ever graced the kickboxing and mixed martial arts realms. "Poatan" is a former Glory Kickboxing middleweight and light heavyweight champion, having later reigned as the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion as well.
His past success in the sports of kickboxing and MMA, be that as it may, Pereira chose to pursue another incredible goal. The Brazilian combatant moved up in weight again, making his UFC heavyweight divisional debut at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14.
Unfortunately, Pereira came up short in his maiden heavyweight appearance, suffering a second-round TKO defeat against 265-pound weight class staple Ciryl Gane. Well, Gane thereby notched the interim UFC heavyweight championship, which he still possesses, and is gunning for a title unifier matchup against UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall.
Meanwhile, Pereira's been adamant about wanting to avenge his loss against the French fighter.
On the other hand, Shamil Gaziev -- the Russian-Bahraini fighter known for his aggressive and high-risk fighting style -- last competed at UFC Sacramento on August 22.
The 36-year-old scored a scary stoppage win over the fearsome Kennedy Nzechukwu at the aforementioned event, a first-round one-punch KO. Gaziev subsequently expressed his desire to fight the 39-year-old Alex Pereira.
Shamil Gaziev hints at his next Octagon outing after challenge to UFC icon Alex Pereira
Considering the variables at play, Shamil Gaziev recently made waves by suggesting a potential fight between himself and UFC great Alex Pereira. Alluding to the kickboxing savant's catchphrase "Chama," Gaziev proposed a 'Shama vs. Chama' matchup.
The callout sparked mixed reactions, as certain sections of the combat sports sphere questioned whether Gaziev has done enough to earn such a high-profile fight. Alternatively, others implied that Pereira is himself yet to earn a win in the UFC heavyweight division, so a fight against Gaziev would be a good test for both, especially given the recent shift of momentum in their respective careers.
Gaziev, in the wake of his callout of Pereira, has taken to X to signal that his next fight could materialize soon. The proud representative of Bahrain wrote:
"Fight news I might have soon for you guys. You will like it."
fight news I might have soon for you guys . You will like it.
— Shamil Gaziev (@GazievMMA) September 11, 2026
Furthermore, he seemed to address the speculation that his much-awaited return to competition could transpire at UFC Fight Night Doha (aka UFC Qatar) in Doha, Qatar, on November 21.
Gaziev cleared the air on the same, indicating that he's likely to compete in the United States of America. Responding to a netizen's post about possibly facing Sergei Pavlovich in Qatar, the heavyweight contender replied:
"No, it is in US."
@willmalaysia1 No, it is in US
— Shamil Gaziev (@GazievMMA) September 11, 2026
