Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alex Pereira set as UFC 335 co-main event on Dec. 12

Sergei Pavlovich and Alex Pereira will share the cage in the co-main event of UFC 335 on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas. The card streams live on Paramount+.

Pereira, nicknamed Poatan, arrives with a 13-4 record and sits third in the light heavyweight rankings. The 39-year-old Brazilian fights out of Teixeira MMA & Fitness and works from an orthodox stance. He stands six-foot-four, or 193 cm, and owns a 79-inch reach, a 201 cm span that helps him control range on the feet.

His striking numbers define his profile. Pereira lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute and connects at a 62 percent clip, an unusually high accuracy rate for a fighter who throws with such power. He rarely looks for the takedown, averaging just 0.11 per 15 minutes, and his submission attempt rate sits at 0.2 per 15 minutes. He is, by the numbers, a striker first and almost exclusively.

Pavlovich is the other half of a matchup that pairs two of the division's heavy hitters, though his role in the bout is confirmed only as Pereira's opponent on the Dec. 12 card.

Why it matters

• Pereira is ranked third at light heavyweight, so a win over Pavlovich would keep him firmly in the title conversation.
• The pairing sets up a likely striking-heavy contest, given Pereira's volume, accuracy and low takedown rate.
• As a co-main event on a numbered UFC card, the fight carries significant weight in the build toward the main event.

UFC 335 takes place Dec. 12 in Las Vegas and streams live on Paramount+.