SI’s MMA Notes, Quotes, and Anecdotes runs every Monday.
Sergei Pavlovich vowed to be patient in his fight against Curtis Blaydes, and that is precisely what he did.
The execution of that strategy led to a TKO victory for Pavlovich (18–1), who overpowered Blaydes in the opening round of their bout.
“The fight went according to the plan,” says Pavlovich, speaking through a translator. “I knew he couldn’t take me down. I had better hands, better striking, and my goal was to finish him standing up. And that is what happened.”
This was a standout performance for Pavlovich under the bright lights of his first UFC main event. It also marks his sixth consecutive knockout in the Octagon, one shy of the record set by Chuck Liddell.
Remarkably, 15 of Pavlovich’s 18 wins came in the first round, a true indicator of the outlandish power he possesses in his hands. Blaydes (17–4, 1 NC) is known as an elite wrestler, yet he curiously made the decision to stand-and-trade with Pavlovich. By the time he attempted a takedown, it was too late.
Though Blaydes was criticized after the fight for his approach, Pavlovich understood why he was wary.
“Curtis did not want to get caught with an uppercut,” says Pavlovich. “That’s why he stood and traded with me.”
Instead of one walk-off uppercut, Pavlovich mauled away at Blaydes. Ultimately, the speed and accuracy of his punches were simply too much.
“The plan was to take my time,” says Pavlovich, who needed just over three minutes to end this bout. “My first thought was to breathe and figure him out.”
Pavlovich picked away with the jab. He absorbed a couple of heavy strikes from Blaydes, yet continued landing big shots before the knockout blow. A real strength of Pavlovich is that he always stays in position, ready to throw another punch or defend a takedown, and that clearly disrupted Blaydes. And, of course, Pavlovich’s unrelenting power is an absolute game-changer.
Pavlovich’s next fight should be for the heavyweight title. He stands as a genuine threat for whoever emerges from the title bout pitting reigning champ Jon Jones against former two-time champ Stipe Miocic.
“Give me time to prepare,” says Pavlovich. “I will be ready for either one of them.”
Jones and Miocic are two of the best in the world, and it would be especially interesting to see how they would match up against the power of Pavlovich.
“The title, that is my dream,” says Pavlovich. “I’m happy with my performance and the path I am on. With your hard work, you get to be where you need to be.
That's where I am going, and I won’t stop working until I get the title.”
Aaron Pico successful in Bellator return–now seeks Jeremy Kennedy rematch and title shot
Aaron Pico returned to action Saturday, defeating James Gonzalez by unanimous decision at Bellator 295. The win reestablished Pico as a threat in the featherweight division.
The reigning featherweight champion is Patrício “Pitbull” Freire, who is challenging Sergio Pettis for the bantamweight title in June. If Freire stays at bantamweight, a new featherweight champion will need to be crowned. Ádám Borics is coming off a loss against Freire last October, and he has not fought since.
That puts Pico and Jeremy Kennedy on track to fight for an interim or vacant title. Kennedy defeated Pico last October, then beat Pedro Carvalho in February. But the victory against Pico was dubious, as a doctor stoppage due to an injured shoulder forced Pico to lose by TKO. It makes sense for these two to run it back, and this time with the added stakes of a title on the line.
Borics has already defeated both Pico and Kennedy. He will likely be the first title defense for whoever wins the belt.
Luke Rockhold making Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut
Luke Rockhold headlines the card for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship this Saturday, facing Mike Perry at BKFC 41.
Perry has won both of his BKFC bouts, defeating Michael Page and Julian Lane, but Rockhold is a far bigger name than both of those opponents. A former UFC middleweight champion, Rockhold retired from MMA following his loss to Paulo Costa at UFC 278 last August.
Rockhold was never known for his striking, but if he can pull off a win, it would be a nice momentum boost for his career. After dropping his last three fights in the Octagon, Rockhold sorely needs a victory. Perry has seemed to find his comfort zone in BKFC, but an emphatic win from Perry could lead to him jumping back into MMA.
A former Strikeforce champion, a fight or two for Rockhold in Bellator would reunite him with Scott Coker and could serve as a way to get him back in the title picture. Rockhold would command a high payday, but a title bout against Johnny Eblen would be great exposure for the reigning middleweight champ. Another bout against Gegard Mousasi, even though both are past their prime, would also be a long overdue clash of two very entertaining fighters.
At 38, Rockhold likely doesn’t have many fights left. But there is an opportunity for a few more high-paying fights, which will be much easier to attain if he can defeat Perry on Saturday.
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
