Alex Pereira vs. Sergei Pavlovich
UFC 335 · December 12, 2026 · T-Mobile Arena · Main Card
The brief
- What kind of fight
- Kickboxing power vs. heavyweight knockout artist
- Finish likelihood
- High
- The line
- Pereira +105 · Pavlovich -120BetOnline
- The stakes
- Heavyweight · Main Card
The read
Pavlovich's hands have ended fights in seconds throughout his win streak, and he's the much larger man at a weight Pereira is still adjusting to.
Pereira's own fight-ending power and championship experience make him live in any exchange, but his underwhelming heavyweight debut against Gane is the bigger data point here.
A fast, violent fight that could end in the first few minutes either way.
The matchup
This is a non-title collision between two of the hardest hitters at heavyweight.
Pereira is coming off a knockout loss to new champion Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut, while Pavlovich enters on a three-fight win streak capped by a 39-second finish of Tallison Teixeira.
Pereira's kickboxing pedigree and finishing instincts are proven at every weight he's fought, but Pavlovich is the bigger, heavier-handed man at a full heavyweight limit Pereira is still adjusting to.
Tale of the tape
| 13-4 | Record | 21-3 |
| 39 | Age | 34 |
| 6'4" | Height | 6'4" |
| 79" | Reach | 80" |
| Orthodox | Stance | Orthodox |
| Brazil | Country | Russia |
| — | Team | — |
The numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
The fighters
Alex Pereira 13-4
“Poatan”
Alex 'Poatan' Pereira is a 39-year-old Brazilian former two-division UFC champion who won back the light heavyweight title from Magomed Ankalaev in October 2025 before relinquishing it to move up to heavyweight. His heavyweight debut ended in a second-round knockout loss to new champion Ciryl Gane in June 2026, and he now looks to rebound against one of the division's hardest hitters in Sergei Pavlovich.
- LCiryl Gane · KO/TKO (strikes)UFC Freedom 250 · June 14, 2026
- WMagomed Ankalaev · KO/TKO (strikes)UFC 320 · October 4, 2025
- LMagomed Ankalaev · Decision (unanimous)UFC 313 · March 8, 2025
Sergei Pavlovich 21-3
Sergei Pavlovich is a 34-year-old Russian heavyweight riding a three-fight win streak, with 16 of his 21 career wins coming by knockout. He most recently blitzed Tallison Teixeira in 39 seconds in May 2026, and now meets former two-division champion Alex Pereira in a five-round heavyweight co-main event at UFC 335.
- WTallison Teixeira · KO/TKO (punches)UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Figueiredo · May 30, 2026
- WWaldo Cortes-Acosta · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night · August 23, 2025
- WJairzinho Rozenstruik · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night · February 1, 2025