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Sergei Pavlovich took on Curtis Blaydes this past weekend at UFC Vegas 71. Going into the fight, the stakes were high for both fighters, with the victor potentially being next for a title shot.
Sergei Pavlovich likes to force fire fights and trade hands with his opponents. Despite being in danger of being knocked out himself, the Russian constantly moves forward and forces his counterpart to backpedal. In his fight against Curtis Blaydes, Pavlovich was caught with two vicious strikes in quick succession, but didn't even flinch before going on to find the finish.
Watch the video below:
Sergei Pavlovich knocked out Curtis Blaydes in the very first round of the fight, handing the American his fourth-ever defeat. Blaydes had previously lost only to Francis Ngannou (twice) and Derrick Lewis, notoriously two of the hardest punchers in UFC heavyweight history.
Pavlovich has now finished his last six fights via first-round knockout.
Sergei Pavlovich next fight: The Russian wants to face the winner of Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic
With an impressive win over Curtis Blaydes, Sergei Pavlovich established himself as the clear-cut next contender for the UFC heavyweight championship. The belt currently sits with Jon Jones, who won the vacant title by beating Ciryl Gane back in March this year.
Jones is reportedly set to take on Stipe Miocic later this year. While a date for the bout is yet to be made official, Pavlovich is eyeing the winner. At the UFC Vegas 71 post-fight press conference, the Russian discussed the Jones vs. Miocic matchup, claiming that he's willing to wait for his title shot:
"I’ll rest, I’ll eat, I’ll sleep. I’ll rest some more. I’ll wait. I wouldn’t say that either of them [Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic] would be an easy fight. I mean, they’re both hard warriors, so I would have to prepare for whoever it is, then be ready for whoever they give me.”
Catch Pavlovich's comments below:
Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic were initially expected to lock horns at UFC 290 in Las Vegas in July. However, it appears as though the UFC is changing its plans and is targeting the blockbuster heavyweight showdown for New York City. Jones recently called for the same on social media, hinting that this could be his last fight.
