Sergei Pavlovich knocks out Glover Teixeira in 39 seconds at UFC Macau

Sergei Pavlovich needed just 39 seconds to finish Glover Teixeira by knockout at UFC Macau, delivering one of the quickest stoppages of his career and immediately turning his attention toward the heavyweight title picture.

Pavlovich, ranked third in the UFC heavyweight division, improves to 20-3-0 with the finish. The 34-year-old Russian trains out of Eagles MMA and brings a physically imposing frame at six-foot-three with an 84-inch reach — among the longest in the division. He lands 4.43 significant strikes per minute, and the Teixeira win gives him seven knockouts in UFC history, more than any Russian fighter on the roster. After the victory, Pavlovich called out Dana White for either a title shot or a title eliminator, and stated he is prepared to face the winner of the bout between Ciryl Gane and Alex Pereira.

Teixeira, now 33-9-0, is a former UFC light heavyweight champion who stepped into this contest at 46 years old. The Brazilian, who trains out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness, stands six-foot-two with a 76-inch reach and has historically been a well-rounded threat, averaging 2.11 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing nearly half of his significant strikes over the course of his career. On this occasion, however, he had no time to impose his game before the fight was stopped.

Why it matters

• Pavlovich's seventh UFC knockout cements him as the most prolific finisher by knockout among Russian fighters in promotion history.
• At ranked third in the heavyweight division, a strong case now exists for Pavlovich to enter the title conversation, either as a direct challenger or in an eliminator bout.
• The call-out targeting the Gane-Pereira winner signals Pavlovich's intent to position himself at the center of the heavyweight title picture in the near term.