UFC Vegas 71 Curtis Blaydes vs. Sergei Pavlovich finally comes up to the main event in a fight that many expected to be a high-octane slugfest and that is what we got between Curtis Blaydes and Sergei Pavlovich. Most expected this fight not to make it to round two and that is certainly what happened in this one.

There was an early feeling-out process between these two heavyweight contenders until things started to heat up midway through the first round. Blaydes looked good in the early going, being light on his feet and utilizing his jab to keep his distance from the power of Pavlovich. Once Pavlovich started unleashing some heavy powerful shots is when the tides started to turn.

Sergei Pavlovich took a page out of the Derrick Lewis playbook and utilized the uppercuts to keep Curtis Blaydes from dropping down to attempt a takedown. That was the big game-changing blow that ultimately was the demise of Curtis Blaydes.

This knockout from Sergei Pavlovich was his sixth straight first-round knockout victory which is a new UFC record. It is hard to argue that Pavlovich is now the undisputed No. 1 contender for the heavyweight championship after Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic battle out between the two GOATs. With Francis Ngannou now out of the picture, Sergei Pavlovich has taken over for the scariest heavyweight fighter in the UFC today.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
UFC Brazil continues on the main card with a fight between Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall. Check out our UFC odds series for our Pavlovich-Aspinall prediction.

Garrett Kerman ·

aspinall pavlovich

Garrett Kerman ·

Ciryl Gane, UFC Paris

Abhinav Kini ·

Jon Jones has talked about retirement recently after his next fight against Stipe Miocic win or lose and it could be because of the new boogeyman of the heavyweight division Sergei Pavlovich. Now we all just wait and see what is next for Pavlovich as he attempts to be the next heavyweight champion of the world.