Sergei Pavlovich returning before the end of the year
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Recently, , Russian fighter Sergei Pavlovich shared a short message about his return to the octagon. Pavlovich wasn't specific about the date but he indicates that we could see him back in action before the year ends.
One of the best heavyweights in the UFC, Sergei Pavlovich stated on his X account that he is expected to return to action in the near future. Many fans are speculating that the opponent could be Alex Pereira, as Gane and Hokit are booked.
Alex Pereira could be a perfect fight for Sergei Pavlovich
As stated in the introduction, the Russian fighter is expected to fight again by the end of the year. His last fight was in late May, so it makes sense that Pavlovich would be booked before the new year arrives. The 34-year-old is on a roll after suffering two defeats at the hands of the former champion, Tom Aspinall, and his countryman Alexander Volkov, winning three consecutive fights since Feb. of last year.
Now that the fight between CirylGane and Josh Hokit is confirmed, there are not many options for the No.2 heavyweight in the world. The only option at the top of the division is the former middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. The fight itself holds a big stake, as both fighters could push for a title bout if they can win.
As mentioned before, Pavlovich is currently on a three-fight winning streak, beating Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Waldo Cortes-Acosta, and Tallison Teixeira. On the other hand, Pereira is a global superstar, and even after his defeat against Gane, it's expected that someone like him will get an opponent that is top of the division.
A potential win could be a ticket for a title fight
As we saw in the Gane fight, Pereira doesn't look that good at heavyweight. Ignoring the controversy, Pereira looked slow and clumsy, which could prove to be a huge advantage for a powerful fighter like Pavlovich. Before he lost to the Englishman, Sergei was knocking out every opponent he faced, displaying just how strong his punches are.
He did need a lot of time to get back on the winning lane, but in May this year, he got his first KO win after more than three years, indicating that the KO machine he was might be back.
what he lacks is technical ability compared to the likes of Pereira, Gane, and Volkov. In his fight with Alexander, he was outstruck by almost 40 strikes and had nearly 20 percent less accuracy. In a fight with Alex Pereira that can be dangerous. Add to that his vulnerability to leg kicks, and this fight could really easily go in favor of the Brazilian.
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