Sergei Pavlovich responded to Alexander Volkov's criticism, which targeted fighters who rely on a single powerful strike. Pavlovich countered by saying that riding a bicycle around the octagon is not the most exciting strategy either.
Sergei Pavlovich fired back at fellow heavyweight Alexander Volkov on May 27, responding to public criticism that appeared directed at fighters who rely on a single big shot to win fights. Pavlovich's counter was pointed: circling the octagon on a bicycle, he suggested, is hardly the most entertaining approach either.
Volkov, ranked first in the UFC heavyweight division, carries a 40-11-0 record and is one of the most experienced big men in the sport at 37 years old. The six-foot-seven Russian fights out of Strela Team and brings a notably high output for a heavyweight, landing 4.78 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 57 percent. That combination of volume and precision has long defined his style and likely informed the criticism he leveled at more power-dependent opponents.
Pavlovich, ranked third at heavyweight and fighting out of Eagles MMA, holds a 20-3-0 record at 34 years old. The six-foot-three southpaw possesses an unusually long 84-inch reach and averages 4.43 significant strikes per minute, though his accuracy sits at 44 percent — a number that reflects the high-risk, high-reward nature of his approach. He has never recorded a submission attempt in UFC competition, making his striking game essentially his entire arsenal.
Why it matters
- The exchange highlights a genuine stylistic divide at the top of the heavyweight division between volume-based pressure fighting and single-shot knockout hunting.
- Both men rank in the top three at heavyweight, meaning any escalation of this rivalry could carry real divisional weight.
- Volkov's jab at one-dimensional strikers and Pavlovich's response about passive movement suggest neither man is particularly fond of the other's methods inside the octagon.
