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Sergei Pavlovich is regarded as one of the most dangerous heavyweights on the UFC roster today. The Russian MMA stalwart is widely revered for his striking prowess, particularly his vaunted KO power. He's competed in 18 professional MMA bouts, amassing a record of 17 wins and 1 loss.
Out of his 17 victories, 14 have come via KO/TKO and 3 by way of decision. His lone defeat came via first-round TKO against Alistair Overeem back in November 2018.
Since losing to Overeem in 2018, Sergei Pavlovich has wreaked havoc in the UFC heavyweight division. Presently, Pavlovich boasts a knockout percentage of 82.35% as a professional MMA fighter.
The rising heavyweight star was roped in by the UFC to serve as the backup/replacement fighter for the all-important UFC heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. Pavlovich successfully made weight, coming in at 259 pounds for UFC 285.
However, his services weren't needed at the UFC 285 event. That was because the Jones-Gane matchup went ahead as planned at UFC 285 on March 4th. Jones, an MMA legend and former UFC light heavyweight champion, won the fight via first-round submission and was crowned the new UFC heavyweight champion.
Is a UFC heavyweight title shot on the horizon for Sergei Pavlovich?
As of this time, Sergei Pavlovich holds the No. 3 spot in the official UFC heavyweight rankings, whereas his next opponent Curtis Blaydes stands at the No. 4 position. The 30-year-old Pavlovich is reportedly scheduled to face the 32-year-old Blaydes in a five-round heavyweight bout. The Pavlovich-Blaydes heavyweight matchup is set to headline UFC Fight Night 222 on April 22nd, 2023.
Meanwhile, reigning UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is expected to defend his title against MMA great and former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic during the UFC's International Fight Week, potentially at UFC 290 on July 8th. Speaking of which, it's believed that the upcoming heavyweight showdown between Pavlovich and 'Razor' could have title implications.
Sergei Pavlovich's most recent fight witnessed him defeat Tai Tuivasa via first-round KO in December 2022. On the other hand, Blaydes is coming off a first-round TKO win over Tom Aspinall in July 2022. Pavlovich is currently on a five-fight win streak, while Blaydes is on a three-fight win streak.
Considering the aforementioned variables at play, it's likely that the winner of the Pavlovich vs. Blaydes matchup could go on to fight the Jones-Miocic winner for the UFC heavyweight title later this year.
