Sergei Pavlovich Plans to Wait for UFC Heavyweight Title Shot

With six consecutive first-round finishes under his belt, Sergei Pavlovich believes he’s done enough to be the UFC heavyweight division’s No. 1 contender.

The heavy-handed Russian earned his most significant victory to date in the UFC Fight Night 222 headliner, stopping Curtis Blaydes with punches 3:08 into the opening stanza of their encounter at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday night. At the post-fight press conference, Pavlovich said he wouldn’t accept anything less than a heavyweight title fight in his next Octagon appearance.

“I’ll rest,” Pavlovich said through a translator. “I’ll eat. I’ll sleep. I’ll rest some more. I’ll wait.”

At the very least, it seems likely that Pavlovich will have to wait until the UFC schedules a heavyweight title clash between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic. That bout is not official, but it has been targeted for Madison Square Garden in New York, at an event that could potentially occur in November. When it comes to facing either Jones or Miocic, Pavlovich doesn’t have a preference in a matchup he thinks will be a “50-50 toss-up.”

“I wouldn’t say that either of them would be an easy fight,” Pavlovich said. “I mean, they’re both hard warriors so I would have to prepare for whoever it is, then be ready for whoever they give me.”