Tai Tuivasa calls out Sergei Pavlovich after Teixeira knockout

Tai Tuivasa has thrown down a public challenge to Sergei Pavlovich, insisting the Russian heavyweight must first prove himself against Derrick Lewis before earning a shot at "Bam Bam."

The callout came after the UFC highlighted Pavlovich's knockout of Jailton Almeida, labeling him the "boogeyman of the heavyweight division." Tuivasa pushed back on that framing, dismissing the win as insufficient grounds for a top-tier matchup and pointing Lewis as the next logical test for Pavlovich.

Tuivasa, 33, carries a 15-10 record and sits ninth in the UFC heavyweight rankings. The six-foot-two Australian southpaw out of Lions High Performance Centre is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 3.66 significant strikes per minute, though his volume comes at the cost of accuracy, connecting at 48 percent.

The man Tuivasa referenced, Derrick Lewis, is no easy ask. "The Black Beast" holds a 29-14 record and sits just one spot above Tuivasa at eighth in the division. The 41-year-old American stands six-foot-three with a 79-inch reach and lands 2.46 significant strikes per minute — one of the most dangerous knockout artists the heavyweight class has ever produced.

The fighter at the center of the controversy, Jailton Almeida, entered his bout with Pavlovich ranked fifth at heavyweight. "Malhadinho" is a 35-year-old Brazilian grappler with a 22-5 record, an exceptional takedown rate of 5.64 per 15 minutes, and a striking accuracy of 62 percent — making the finish over him a genuinely notable result.

Why it matters

• Pavlovich's win over a top-five heavyweight strengthens his divisional standing, and the UFC's "boogeyman" framing signals promotional intent
• Tuivasa's callout, routing through Lewis first, could shape two separate matchups in the crowded heavyweight top ten
• A Tuivasa-Pavlovich fight would be a pure striking contest between two high-volume knockout threats