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Everyone is speaking about Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic, however Sergei Pavlovovich continues to make his presence felt. Pavlovich secured his sixth consecutive first-round knockout when he stopped Curtis Blaydes at UFC Fight Night on Saturday evening.
Pavlovich has overwhelmed a number of the sport’s heaviest hitters and Blaydes merely couldn’t endure. Pavlovich repeatedly surprised him with hefty jabs earlier than dropping him with a boxing mixture. Blaydes lasted longer than almost all of Pavlovich’s UFC victims, however he was nonetheless conquered a contact over three minutes into the struggle.
“Where’s my belt?” Pavlovich motioned to the digital camera after extending his KO streak.
Pavlovich vs. Blaydes was a meritocratic struggle to find out who had the most effective case on paper to problem for the UFC heavyweight championship. Pavlovich and Blaydes are at present ranked No. 3 and No. 4 respectively within the UFC’s official rankings. Ahead of them are Miocic — who hasn’t been seen since shedding to Francis Ngannou in March 2021 — and Ciryl Gane, who suffered a dull loss to Jon Jones final month.
The infatuation with Jones vs. Miocic persists however an precise date has but to emerge for the struggle. Another imposing efficiency by Pavlovich ought to make him a lock to problem Jones for the heavyweight title or Miocic for an interim title if delays persist.
Pavlovich improved to 18-1 as an expert and has seemed unstoppable since dropping his UFC debut to Alistair Overeem. He boasts the longest first-round KO streak in trendy UFC historical past (six) and is one wanting tying Chuck Liddell all-time for many consecutive UFC KOs (seven). It was a disappointing loss for Blaydes, who has now suffered three KOs whereas on the precipice of a breakthrough title shot.
