On the night of December 3-4, another UFC tournament took place in Orlando. The attention of the Russian fans was completely riveted by the duel of Sergei Pavlovich against the most dangerous Australian Tai Tuivasa.

The fight was of great importance for the Russian athlete, because it allowed him to take another step towards the UFC heavyweight championship. And Sergey did not let the fans down, having dealt with a top rival in just 54 seconds.

“I didn’t even know who he was”

The main card of the next UFC Fight Night tournament, held in Orlando, was of interest to Russian fans, primarily due to the fight of Sergei Pavlovich. The promotion identified the Australian Tai Tuivasu as opponents to the Russian. Bam Bam is a very dangerous opponent, famous for his ability to take a hit, as well as his ability to hit powerfully.

The Australian’s spectacular style has been repeatedly noted by the UFC. For the previous four fights, Tuivasa has consistently received bonuses from the promotion. But Tai approached the fight with Pavlovich after losing to Cyril Gan. The Frenchman became the first who was able to defeat an Australian fighter by knockout ahead of schedule.

What Tuivasa cannot boast of is the preparation for battles. An athlete often goes to fights with extra pounds, relying on the power of his blow and unbridled pressure. He also does not follow his opponents very carefully, judging by his statements.

Everyone is probably afraid of Pavlovich. To be honest, I didn’t even know who he was. I watched his fights and realized that we would put on a show,” said the Australian fighter.

The situation with Tuivasa was very reminiscent of the Russian’s previous fight with Derrick Lewis, who also did not prepare well for Sergey. For this, the American paid with a defeat in the 55th second of the first round.

Pavlovich also approached the fight in great shape. He held a full-fledged camp in the USA for the first time. Unlike his opponent, Sergei understood perfectly well who he had to fight. The Russian knew the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent and did not rule out that the fight would end in the first round.

Photo: © Jeff Bottari / Contributor / UFC / Gettyimages.com

“My last bonus was stolen”

Before the start, the rivals warmly greeted each other, probably looking forward to a noble felling. But the beginning of the battle was also its end. Opponents did not wait long, wasting time on reconnaissance. After an unsuccessful low-kick by Tuivasa, Sergey carried out a powerful series of punches.

Tai tried to answer the Russian, but immediately landed on the floor of the octagon. This was helped by Pavlovich’s most powerful blow to the head. The Australian with a broken face, bleeding, heroically got up, despite Sergey’s attack. But after a few seconds, the referee intervened, stopping the beating of Tuivasa, who by that time had missed many heavy blows. Pavlovich’s victory was fixed at the 54th second.

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– Friends, thank you very much. I want to tell Tuivasa that he is a good man. I have only great respect for him. To be honest, I do a lot of work that is not visible. And I want to say thank you to everyone who helps and cheers for me. Do I deserve a bonus? My last bonus was stolen. I was ready for all three rounds. It was a very important fight in my life. Who do I want next in rivals? Well, now I want to rest. Then we will discuss with the team, ”Pavlovich said after the fight.

After such a bright victory, the Russian could well count on a bonus from the UFC. This time, the organizers appreciated the knockout, giving Pavlovich a $50,000 award for the best performance of the evening.