UFC 335 is already shaping up to be a stacked card, with Charles Oliveira defending his BMF title against Diego Lopes in the main event. However, the co-main event is arguably the fight everyone has been talking about. Alex Pereira is staying at heavyweight and will take on Sergei Pavlovich in a five-round showdown.
The fight could have major title implications, especially with Ciryl Gane set to defend his undisputed heavyweight title against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 a month earlier. While Pereira’s heavyweight debut did not go according to plan in June 2026, he now has another chance to keep his dream of becoming a three-division UFC champion alive.
However, taking on Pavlovich is a massive gamble. Pereira was outmatched by Gane at UFC Freedom 250 and looked noticeably stiff at heavyweight. Naturally, fans are worried about him suffering a similar setback against Pavlovich. The Russian is one of the most dangerous contenders in the division and regularly weighs well over 260 pounds when he steps into the Octagon.
And Joe Rogan understands just how dangerous the matchup could be. He reacted to the fight being announced during the UFC 332 broadcast last weekend.
Joe Rogan Believes Sergei Pavlovich Will Be a Tough Task for Alex Pereira at UFC 335
During the UFC 332 broadcast on Saturday, Rogan previewed Pereira’s latest heavyweight challenge while speaking with Daniel Cormier. He said, “It’s a very exciting two fights. I love Diego Lopes at lightweight, especially coming off that spectacular knockout of Steve Garcia on the White House lawn. Him vs. Charles Oliveira should be a barnburner.”
He added, “‘Poatan’ again at heavyweight; he’s determined to try to win a title at heavyweight, and the man won’t go back to light heavyweight. He’s like, ‘I want another shot at Ciryl Gane.’ he’s got to go through Sergei Pavlovich to get it, and that’s a tough task. Pavlovich is a huge, huge heavyweight with gigantic power and fantastic boxing.”
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As Rogan pointed out, Pavlovich is a gigantic man even by heavyweight standards and possesses some serious knockout power. The Russian once put together a terrifying six-fight knockout streak before running into Tom Aspinall at UFC 295.
Despite that loss, Pavlovich has built a strong UFC resume. He is 9-3 inside the promotion with seven knockout wins and is currently riding a three-fight winning streak. His recent victories have come against Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Waldo Cortes-Acosta, and Tallison Teixeira.
Interestingly, Teixeira is one of Pereira’s primary sparring partners. That adds another layer to the matchup, as Pereira will have the opportunity to avenge what happened the last time Pavlovich stepped into the Octagon. The Brazilian suffered a first-round knockout loss to the Russian at UFC Macau in May 2026.
SERGEI PAVLOVICH KNOCKS OUT TALLISON TEIXEIRA IN THE FIRST ROUND! #UFCMacau https://t.co/L9qU0tMEFF
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 30, 2026
Pavlovich finished Pereira’s teammate in just 39 seconds, picking up his 16th career knockout in 21 professional wins. Fans have also seen footage of Teixeira landing some big shots on Pereira during sparring. If that footage is anything to go by, the prospect of Pereira sharing the Octagon with Pavlovich is even more intriguing.
Still, “Poatan” will be looking to get the job done and potentially book himself a fight against the winner of Gane’s UFC 334 title defense against Josh Hokit. A win would put Pereira one step closer to his goal of becoming the first three-division champion in UFC history.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
