Sergei Pavlovich was not so long ago among the obvious applicants for the UFC heavyweight champion belt, but after two defeats, our fighter had to postpone an ambitious target. After the failures, the Russian defeated Zhairzino Rossteka, and then won the most important victory at the tournament in Shanghai. Unfortunately, again without a knockout. With such boring battles, you can’t get a chance for the title.

“Machine for destruction”

On Saturday 23, at the UFC Fight Night 257 tournament in Shanghai, Sergei Pavlovich entered the octagon against Valdo Cortes-Akosta. After the defeats in the battles with Tom Aspinell and Alexander Volkov, the Russian defeated the decision of Zhairzino Rosstele. Our athlete was considered a favorite and in the next confrontation – the coefficient for his victory was 1.35.

– If Sergei comes out to destroy, it is impossible to stop him! Sergey is a destruction machine, ”said the heavyweight of Asa Kirill Kornilov’s heavyweight.

– For me, the favorite is Sergey Pavlovich. I believe that his so -called tactical and technical characteristics are higher than that of Cortes Acosta, ”said the former UFC fighter Alexei Oleinik“ Match TV ”.

– Sergey in any battle Favorite, given his shock power. I think Pavlovich either knocks out the opponent or selects the tactics of pragmatic battle and will defeat the decision, as in the last match, ”the fighter of MMA Valentin Moldavsky said in an interview with Match TV.

After all these forecasts, the Russian remained a little – to prove his superiority over the opponent in practice. Sergei intended to do this under the Russian flag, since there are no prohibitions of national symbols in the UFC. Pavlovich appeared with a tricolor on weighing, and then captured him in the way to the octagon. The Chinese audience warmly greeted the Russian, however, the audience met his rival hospitably.

Sergey Pavlovich / Photo: © JEFF BOTTARI / CONTRIBUTOR / UFC / Gettyimages.ru

Without unpleasant surprises

The beginning performed by Pavlovich turned out to be careful, as if he was trying to choose the optimal distance. The Russian fighter crushed, periodically trying Lowe and a faulty attack of the opponent. Periodically, the guys exploded, but after a series of heavy strokes, they again slowed down. Sergei seemed to be preparing a verified attack, but there was not enough serial work. Cortes-Akoosta withstood solitary blows and survived successfully until the first break.

In the second round, both were activated, but they were in no hurry to put everything on the end. After the next exchange, the soldiers went out without much loss, but then the Dominican felt the power of Pavlovich’s blow. Unfortunately, unfortunately, it was not possible to bring a series of dangerous blows to something. However, if on the first round it was difficult to talk about the unconditional advantage of the Russian, then in the second five -minute his superiority became more obvious.

Sergey Pavlovich and Valdo Cortes Acost / Photo: © Jeff Bottari / Contributor / UFC / Gettyimages.ru

In the third round of the series of blows from Pavlovich, the problems of Cortes Akoosta were again delivered, the opponent even had a cut. But he continued to stand on his feet and was completely not going to go into the knockout. Here you can only guess why Sergey did not try to finish off the opponent in some points. I didn’t want to take risks or was there something missing?

As a result, the case came to the judicial decision, which the Dominican was optimistic with a raised hand. An unpleasant surprise did not occur, our fighter went to the victory, who, after the declaration of the judicial verdict, thanked the Chinese public and Russian fans, and also recommended UFC to sign the ex-ACA champion Evgeny Goncharov. In the end, everything ended safely and yet in order to bring the title Pavlovich closer, perhaps, you need to win such opponents more convincingly.

See the direct broadcast of the UFC tournaments on the channels “Match TV” and “Match! Fighter ”, as well as on Matchtv.ru and Sportbox.ru sites.