Can Sergei Pavlovich avoid the Teixeira trap?

Picture a guy with the wingspan of a pterodactyl and cinder blocks for hands, capable of wrapping up business in the Octagon faster than you can crack open a beer. Between 2019 and 2023, Sergei Pavlovich iced six killers in a row in the first round, never even needing three minutes to get the job done. He’s a human wrecking ball who doesn't know how to retreat, now with his back against the wall after two stinging setbacks.

🥊 Fighter Profile

Name: Sergei Pavlovich
Record: 18-3-0
Key Stat: Has the exact same reach as Jon Jones (2.13m) but with the build of a Siberian freezer.

The High-Five Block

Last 5 results:

• ❌ Alexander Volkov - Unanimous decision (Round 3)
• ❌ Tom Aspinall - KO (punches) (Round 1)
• ✅ Curtis Blaydes - TKO (punches) (Round 1)
• ✅ Tai Tuivasa - KO (punches) (Round 1)
• ✅ Derrick Lewis - TKO (punches) (Round 1)

The Origin Story

Sergei didn't come up in fancy Parisian fitness clubs. Raised in Orlovsky, deep in the Rostov bush, he started Greco-Roman wrestling at age 5. The real turning point came during his mandatory military service with the VDV, the Russian airborne troops. No fluff there: he sharpened his skills in combat sambo and ARB (the army’s hand-to-hand combat system). Translation: how to neutralize a guy wearing body armor with just your fists. The Russian emerged programmed to shut people's lights out, all while maintaining the balance of a bulldozer to keep from ending up on his back.

Six minutes of pure terror

When he first hit the UFC, Alistair Overeem welcomed him with some savage ground and pound. Just a minor hiccup. After that, Pavlovich went full steamroller mode: six fights, six first-round KOs. Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, Curtis Blaydes... All obliterated. Guys would step into the cage, eat a jab that hit like a baseball bat, and then crumble under a storm of short hooks in the pocket. The Russian isn't looking for a technical chess match; he’s looking for a felony. Then the train hit a wall. Tom Aspinall blitzed him, and Alexander Volkov picked him apart from the outside. Two losses that shattered the myth, but not his firepower.

Useless Knowledge

• The Albatross Syndrome: He stands 1.91m but boasts a 2.13m reach. Morphologically, he’s a glitch in the heavyweight matrix.
• A heart of gold under the armor: Despite looking like a henchman in a Die Hard movie, Sergei is the politest guy during fight week. He smiles, says thanks, then tries to tear your head off on Saturday night.
• The Octagon sprinter: He lands 8.21 significant strikes per minute. For a heavyweight, that’s like putting a Formula 1 engine inside a tractor.

The MMX Take

This fight against Tallison Teixeira is a career-defining moment. Teixeira is an undefeated 2.03m Brazilian giant coming off the Contender Series with a chip on his shoulder. For the first time, Sergei will actually have to look up to face his opponent. The trap? Teixeira loves to throw kicks to maintain distance, the exact weakness Volkov exposed in Pavlovich. But the Brazilian has never breathed the thin air of the top 5. Pavlovich has 75% takedown defense and the most dangerous firepower in the UFC. If Teixeira makes the mistake of trading in the pocket, he’s going to eat an overhand from outer space. For your picks in the MMX League, Pavlovich remains a safe bet for first-round mass destruction.

With a chin of steel and fists of lead, Sergei is ready to remind the young gun about the harsh reality of the elite level. Do you think he'll win his next fight? Come make your picks and challenge your buddies on MMX.

📋 On the same card: Check out all the profiles for UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Figueiredo