Sergei Pavlovich Seeks Title Shot Following Swift Victory at UFC Macau

Sergei Pavlovich, currently the third-ranked heavyweight, faced off against emerging talent Tallison Teixeira in the main event at UFC Macau. With Teixeira positioned at No. 15 in the heavyweight rankings, many viewed the bout as a mismatch for Pavlovich, who needed a decisive performance to solidify his title aspirations.

In a stunning display of power, Pavlovich overwhelmed Teixeira, securing a knockout just 39 seconds into the fight. Following his impressive victory, he wasted no time in expressing his desire for a shot at the heavyweight championship. "Remember we talked to you and I said to you, 'First, let me knock him out then we'll talk about the belt,'" he told Michael Bisping during his post-fight comments. "This is the time now. I'd like to talk to Dana [White]. Dana, give me the title shot, or at least give me a contender fight."

As the heavyweight division awaits the return of champion Tom Aspinall, recovering from a double eye poke sustained in his title defense against Ciryl Gane at UFC 312 last October, the UFC plans to introduce an interim champion on June 14 during the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House. Gane will be competing against former two-division champion Alex Pereira in the co-main event.

Pavlovich remains unfazed by the potential outcome of that fight. "It doesn't matter to me who wins. I want to get the winner," he stated firmly. "I work hard. I work every single day. I want the belt."