LAS VEGAS – Shamil Gaziev formally arrived within the UFC cage in December, and this previous week he arrived in a big way on X.
A relative unknown to many combat followers, Gaziev (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) finds himself in a important occasion for his sophomore promotional outing – a rarity that’s garnered criticism from some followers.
Quite than argue or ignore, Gaziev determined to attempt to win them over by reasoning, and extra so, humor. As a non-English speaker with lower than six minutes of UFC cage time below his belt, Gaziev has began to show some critics into followers.
“Followers are totally different,” Gaziev informed MMA Junkie and different reporters at a information convention Wednesday forward of UFC Fight Night 238 on the UFC Apex. “Some individuals perceive, actual followers, that it’s a superb factor for our division to have new blood. However some individuals simply trash discuss. They only need to write one thing. They write. I don’t get critical with feedback. So simply my recommendation is to be comfortable there’s a new fighter coming and making a giant assertion. As you noticed in my UFC debut, simply watch it and luxuriate in.”
you are surrounded @JairRozenstruik pic.twitter.com/EAAb35YRPn
— Shamil Gaziev (@GazievMMA) February 28, 2024
Scroll by the feedback on his current X posts – just like the one in all him “surrounding” opponent Jairzinho Rozenstruik (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) in Las Vegas – or him admitting to a fan that maybe he doesn’t have a chiseled body, however that he’s OK with that.
Gaziev is doing what he can to make sure his combat doesn’t get misplaced within the hustle and bustle of a crowded UFC schedule. Regardless of his critical combat week demeanor, Gaziev revealed joking round is a giant a part of his on a regular basis character – after which proceeded to show it by cracking a joke about how he’s solely critical throughout combat week as a result of he’s hungry and chopping weight.
“I’ve my pals who can translate for me in good English,” Gaziev mentioned. “However all of the concepts and jokes are coming from my concepts.”
Sorry man, I’m not competing in bodybuilding, I like to coach arduous and eat good after that
— Shamil Gaziev (@GazievMMA) February 27, 2024
Public notion apart, Gaziev admits his progress up the rankings is faster than he anticipated. He remembered the surreal feeling of signing his first UFC posters in December. This week, that very same course of featured posters along with his face on them – a feat that reveals he’s means forward of even his own-set schedule.
However with nice alternative comes reward. Gaziev is already enthusiastic about signing posters with him holding a championship belt, and Saturday may very well be the following step towards making {that a} actuality.
“It’s not the place the place I make selections, (however) in the event you ask me, after all. I need to combat (for the title) as quickly as potential. Large fights will get me to the UFC gold. If UFC will inform me to do one other 10 fights to succeed in that, I’m able to do (these) fights additionally.”
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