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Sergei Pavlovich sent a warning to Jon Jones on social media.
On April 22, Pavlovich secured another statement victory by taking out Curtis Blaydes in the first round. Now that he’s defeated a top-five opponent, the Russian has his eyes set on a heavyweight title shot against Jones. The 30-year-old recently posted a photo compilation of his UFC KO/TKOs with the caption saying:
“I'm sure one person is looking at this right now and is very worried.. 👊 #ufc”
Pavlovich isn’t the only person who believes he can defeat ’Bones.' Since his latest win against Blaydes, there have been fighters and fans who want to see the intriguing heavyweight matchup, including two UFC fighters who had this to say:
“I’m calling it. Sergei beats Jon Jones.” - Matt Brown
“I’d watch Jon Jones v Sergei Pavlovich. Could be interesting on the feet . But on the ground Jones is just different ! #UFC” - Derek Brunson
Pavlovich seems focused on fighting Jones, but it’s not guaranteed that he will still be the UFC heavyweight champion later this year. ‘Bones’ is expected to defend his throne for the first time against Stipe Miocic. Despite his well-rounded skillset and championship experience, Miocic is being somewhat overlooked heading the heavyweight title fight, which currently doesn’t have an official date.
Sergei Pavlovich plans to ensure his next fight is for the heavyweight title by waiting
Sergei Pavlovich solidified himself as the number two-ranked UFC heavyweight with his latest win at UFC Vegas 71. Considering Ciryl Gane is the only fighter tanked ahead of him, Pavlovich has a solid argument for deserving a title shot in his next fight.
During his UFC Vegas 71 post-fight press conference, Pavlovich was asked if he would fight another top contender instead of waiting for Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic. He responded by saying:
“I’ll rest. I’ll eat. I’ll sleep. I’ll rest some more. I’ll wait.”
Pavlovich made his UFC debut in November 2018, losing against Alistair Overeem in the first round. Since then, the Russian has won six consecutive fights by first-round KO/TKO. He emerged as a legitimate contender after defeating Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, and Curtis Blaydes.
Watch Sergei Pavlovich take out Curtis Blaydes below:
