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UFC Perth bonus winner grateful to UFC for āsaving his lifeā
TL;DR
Brando Pericic expressed gratitude to the UFC for changing his life after winning a $100K bonus at UFC Perth. He credits mixed martial arts for helping him overcome personal struggles and aims to inspire fans with his performances.
Key points
- Brando Pericic won a $100K bonus at UFC Perth.
- He fought Shamil Gaziev in a heavyweight match.
- Pericic credits the UFC for saving his life.
- He aims to inspire fans with his performances.
- Pericic trained at City Kickboxing in New Zealand.
Mentioned in this story
UFCCity Kickboxing
Brando PericicShamil GazievIsrael AdesanyaTyson Pedro
Brando Pericic wants everyone to know that he is a company man through and through.
Pericic battled on Shamil Gaziev in a titanic heavyweight tilt at UFC Perth on Saturday. While Pericic hurt Gaziev early, the Bahraini refused to hit the canvas. When Pericic gain the advantage, Gaziev fired back with a vengeance, leading to a brutal slugfest. Pericic kept inflicting punishment, and Gaziev finally went down in the second round. Both fighters walked home with $100K āFight of the Nightā checks for their efforts.
Pericic made sure to express his gratitude to the promotion as much as he could. He credited both the sport and this organization for changing his life, which inspires him to put on a show for fans every time he steps inside the Octagon. Pericic notes that he is calm and collected when he fights, as he believes he has already won tougher battles in life. Pericic expressed in his post-fight interview:
āIām very thankful to this company,ā the Aussie exclaimed. āThis company saved my life. Mixed martial arts saved my life. So thatās why when I go out there, I wanna represent the struggles that Iāve been through and give that to the crowd, give them that big win, that KO win. Because the s--t that Iāve been through in life, thatās the true fight. This is easy. There [were] no nerves in there for me. I wouldnāt have cared if it was the champion, I would have done the same thing.ā
Proud of his Croatian heritage, the Australian-born Pericic trains out of City Kickboxing in New Zealand. Pericic saw hard times early in his career, when he used to live in the gym or in his car. Pericic is grateful to Australasian veterans like Israel Adesanya and Tyson Pedro for believing in him when he was at his lowest point. While Pericic is yet to reach the pinnacle of stardom, āThe Balkan Bearā believes he will become a household name over time. Pericic continued:
āI love the Aussiesāmy people. They donāt even know who I am properly. Give it a couple of years. Iāve got 10 years in this company. So, I wanna be around for a long time, be a household name. I love this company, I love the UFC. Thank you to Dana White, Sean Shelby, Mick Maynard, Hunter Campbell, all you boys, you saved my life,ā he gushed.
Win or lose, āThe Balkan Bearā has never competed beyond 8:44 in a pro fightāand that new personal record was set against Gaziev. Pericic (7-1) has earned stoppages in all seven of his career wins, including three in the UFC. Along the way, the slugger has claimed a pair of post-fight bonus honors. Meanwhile, Gaziev (14-3) was coming off a stoppage loss against , falling to .500 as a UFC fighter with his second consecutive knockout defeat.
Q&A
How did Brando Pericic perform at UFC Perth?
Brando Pericic fought Shamil Gaziev in a heavyweight match, winning after a brutal slugfest that ended in the second round.
What did Brando Pericic say about the UFC's impact on his life?
Pericic stated that the UFC and mixed martial arts saved his life, inspiring him to represent his struggles through his fights.
What is Brando Pericic's background in mixed martial arts?
Pericic trained at City Kickboxing in New Zealand and faced significant hardships early in his career, including living in a gym or his car.