LAS VEGAS – Sergei Pavlovich has no intention of fighting again unless it’s for the UFC heavyweight title.
Pavlovich (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) stamped his ticket as a legitimate contender on Saturday when he scored a quick TKO of Curtis Blaydes (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 222 main event at the UFC Apex. The result extended his UFC record for consecutive first-round knockouts to six, and there are already predictions from reputable MMA minds that he will claim gold.
He agrees that should be the case.
“I’ll rest,” Pavlovich told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at the UFC Fight Night 222 post-fight news conference. “I’ll eat. I’ll sleep. I’ll rest some more. I’ll wait.”
The next heavyweight title fight between champ Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic is being targeted by the UFC for November in New York. Pavlovich described the matchup as a “50/50 toss up” and said he doesn’t care who wins, because he knows both would be challenging fights.
“I wouldn’t say that either of them would be an easy fight,” Pavlovich said. “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.”
What the UFC’s plans are for Pavlovich going forward remains unclear, but his desires are known. He couldn’t do much more to make his case for the belt, because he dismantled Blaydes in a way few others have done before.
“To be honest I was preparing for all five rounds,” Pavlovich said. “I thought the fight was going to go all five rounds. But once I realized I was getting him, there was no reason to keep the fight going longer. I had the opportunity to finish it early – that’s what I did.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 222.
