Heavyweight Pavlovich set as slight favorite heading into Dec. 13 co-main event in Las Vegas

Alex Pereira, whose ambition to become a three-division champion remains very much alive. [Getty Images]
Alex Pereira, whose ambition to become a three-division champion remains very much alive. [Getty Images]

Alex Pereira, the two-division UFC champion, is stepping back into the heavyweight spotlight. In his bid to become the first three-division champion in UFC history — a dream that suffered its first setback earlier this year — Pereira will face No. 2-ranked heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich, known among Korean combat sports fans as "White Ngannou."

Pereira and Pavlovich are set to clash at UFC 335 on Dec. 13 (Korean Standard Time) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bout is scheduled as a five-round co-main event.

A former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, Pereira relinquished his light heavyweight title and moved up to heavyweight this year. No fighter in UFC history has ever held titles in three divisions.

His first attempt ended in defeat. Pereira faced Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250 in June, but lost by TKO in the second round. Gane was crowned interim champion with that victory and was later elevated to undisputed champion after Tom Aspinall vacated the title.

Pereira has not given up on the heavyweight division. Rather than dropping back down in weight, he stayed at heavyweight — and his second fight in the division brings him face to face with one of its elite, Pavlovich.

Pavlovich currently sits at No. 2 in the UFC heavyweight rankings. He built his title credentials with six consecutive first-round KO or TKO victories over Marcelo Golm, Maurice Greene, Shamil Abdurakhimov, Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa and Curtis Blaydes.

Sergei Pavlovich, the No. 2-ranked heavyweight who will face Alex Pereira. [Getty Images]
Sergei Pavlovich, the No. 2-ranked heavyweight who will face Alex Pereira. [Getty Images]

Armed with heavy hands and a high knockout rate, Pavlovich has earned the nickname "White Ngannou" among Korean MMA fans — a nod to his destructive power and a comparison to former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Pavlovich stumbled after a first-round KO loss to Tom Aspinall in their 2023 interim title fight, followed by a decision defeat to Alexander Volkov, but he has since rebuilt momentum. He stopped Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Waldo Cortes-Acosta in succession, then knocked out Tallison Teixeira just 39 seconds into their bout in May to run his winning streak to three.

For Pereira, this fight represents a critical opportunity to re-enter the heavyweight title picture. A win over the No. 2-ranked Pavlovich would erase the damage of his heavyweight debut loss while also giving him a strong case for another title shot.

Pereira has his sights set on current champion Gane. UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently said Pereira wants to remain at heavyweight and fight Gane again, adding that Pereira must first get past Pavlovich to earn that rematch.

Oddsmakers are expecting a close fight. Initial odds released by BetOnline shortly after the matchup was announced had Pavlovich at -120 and Pereira at +105, making Pavlovich a slight favorite and Pereira the underdog. Some outlets later reported the line had shifted to Pavlovich -130, Pereira +111.

Pereira continues to pursue his goal of becoming the first three-division champion in UFC history, having already conquered the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. Whether he can get past Pavlovich and set up a rematch with Gane remains to be seen.


yjc@heraldcorp.com