Sergey Pavlovich returned with a devastating 39-second knockout of Glover Teixeira at UFC Macau. Following the victory, Pavlovich called for a title fight or number one contender bout, stating he is ready to face the winner of Gane vs Pereira. The knockout brings Pavlovich's total to seven first-round finishes in the UFC, tying him with Francis Ngannou for the most among Russian fighters.
Sergey Pavlovich made a thunderous statement at UFC Macau, stopping veteran Glover Teixeira with a knockout just 39 seconds into the first round. The finish underscores Pavlovich's status as one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world, and he wasted no time calling for a title shot or a number one contender bout against the winner of the Gane versus Pereira matchup.
Glover Teixeira, the 46-year-old Brazilian veteran out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness, carried a 33-9-0 record into the contest. Standing six-foot-two with a 76-inch reach, Teixeira has long been regarded as one of the sport's most durable and well-rounded heavyweights, averaging 3.73 significant strikes landed per minute with 49 percent striking accuracy and over two takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career. Despite that pedigree, he had no answer for Pavlovich's power on fight night.
The victory pushes Pavlovich to seven first-round finishes inside the UFC, a mark that ties him with Francis Ngannou for the most by any Russian fighter in the promotion's history.
Why it matters
- Pavlovich's call-out puts him firmly in the title picture at heavyweight, pending the outcome of the Gane versus Pereira fight.
- Seven UFC first-round finishes ties the record held by Francis Ngannou among Russian fighters, cementing Pavlovich's place among the division's most explosive finishers.
- Teixeira's third loss in four outings raises questions about where the 46-year-old Brazilian stands in the division's contender rankings.
