Sergei Pavlovich stormed through highly touted prospect Tallison Teixeira on Saturday, scoring a devastating first-round knockout just 39 seconds into their clash at Galaxy Arena. The emphatic finish instantly put Pavlovich back among the heavyweight division’s top contenders.
Pavlovich Overwhelms Teixeira From the Opening Bell
The fight barely had time to settle before Pavlovich launched his attack. The former interim title challenger charged forward immediately, throwing overhand rights and straight shots. The Brazilian struggled to deal with the pressure as Pavlovich connected with powerful shots from both hands.
Pavlovich continued unloading as his opponent attempted to recover, leaving referee Lukasz Bosacki with little choice but to intervene.
Another Quick Finish for the Russian Heavyweight
The victory added another highlight-reel finish to Pavlovich’s resume. It marked his sixth knockout win inside the UFC and the 16th knockout of his professional career. Every one of those stoppage victories has come in the first round, further cementing his reputation as one of the division’s most dangerous finishers.
The win also improved Pavlovich’s professional record to 21-3 and served as a strong response after falling short in his previous bid for UFC gold.
Currently ranked No. 5 among the world’s heavyweights, Pavlovich previously competed for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 295, where he was defeated by Tom Aspinall.
Pavlovich Calls for Championship Opportunity
After the fight, Pavlovich made it clear what he wanted next.
“Dana give me the title shot or at least give me a contender fight.”
“It doesn’t matter to me who wins! I want to get the winner. I work hard. I work every single day. I want the belt.”