Sergei Pavlovich is the real deal and he will knock out Bam Bam with ease

650lb Sumo

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Sergei is an inch taller than Tai and has a whopping 9" reach advantage, although he weighs about 11lbs less. Sergei is 1 year older. So physically they are quite well matched apart from Pavlovich's large reach advantage and that will be key. This will be a straightforward striking battle as both men are strikers. Neither has ever won by submission or shown much of a grappling game in the cage. Both are coming to bang and although Tai is a dangerous striker with power and unpredictable attacks, Sergei is a more refined martial artist who is better technically. Sergei does have a background in wrestling and sambo as a B-side to his game but he won't need it against Tai.

Both fighters have big time stopping power - Pavlovich has won 13 of his 16 wins by (T)KO and Tuivasa has 13 out of 14. Sergei has won his last 4 by 1st round (T)KO and Tai won 5 in a row by (T)KO within 2 rounds before being KOed himself last time out. But Tai is more of a pressure brawler who moves forward and throws bombs while Sergei, although also an aggressive finisher, has tidier footwork and cleaner striking. They both have fast hands but Sergei has better accuracy and (MMA) boxing technique, he reads his opponents and times accurate strikes which his opponents don't see coming. His one loss was due as I recall to being taken down by Overeem, which Tai is not going to do, whereas Tai has been (T)KOed by pure strikers twice before.

Pavlovich is faster on his feet, taller, lighter and has a much longer reach. He isn't going to brawl toe-to-toe with Tuivasa, he is going to get his timing and suddenly land something crisp, fast and heavy on the button that sends Tai to the canvas and he will take very little damage doing it. Sergei belongs among the elite of the division and he is about to go 5 (T)KOs in a row and cement his place there.

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Pavlovich is quite stiff and robotic. Strong and powerful, but I think people see too much in him. I give him the slight advantage over Tai but he is not champ material IMO
 
Maybe but does beating Tai really prove he's the real deal? Even old zombie JDS beat Tai
 
Pavlovich has really subpar wrestling and can get taken down very easily. Thank god the UFC is adamant about removing all wrestlers from their division so he should be good to go.
 
Pavlovich has really subpar wrestling and can get taken down very easily. Thank god the UFC is adamant about removing all wrestlers from their division so he should be good to go.
Well Francis looked like he had good wrestling in his last fight. Stipe can wrestle, Jones is now going to be at HW, Blaydes is the best wrestler in the division, and Aspinall has fantastic wrestling and overall grappling too.

I don't think Pavlovich is going to go much further than Tai tbh. He may prove me wrong but I think he's on that tier below the elite guys. He's about the same level as Volvov, Jairzinho and Tai himself.
 
Well Francis looked like he had good wrestling in his last fight. Stipe can wrestle, Jones is now going to be at HW, Blaydes is the best wrestler in the division, and Aspinall has fantastic wrestling and overall grappling too.

I don't think Pavlovich is going to go much further than Tai tbh. He may prove me wrong but I think he's on that tier below the elite guys. He's about the same level as Volvov, Jairzinho and Tai himself.
Tai got put to sleep on the ground by Spivak. Pav might win since Tai might be the Hw with the worst wrestling in the top 10
 
Tai got put to sleep on the ground by Spivak. Pav might win since Tai might be the Hw with the worst wrestling in the top 10
Oh yeah he might very well beat Tai, but either way, I don't think that says much about what he has to offer the very top of the division.
 
Lewis stood right in Sergei preferred striking distance and didn't move just did the usual cover up and wait foe the ref to stop the fight. Tai needs to choose when to engage and have a plan to enter striking distance and stay out of sergeis, or possibly use his stout frame to get a TD and hope he can hold Sergei down because they're both big boys and have trouble getting up. I like pav at opening -140 odds, but at 2 to 1, Tai could land his big shot or Sergei could gas, a bit risky.
 
Barbarena is the only bam bam I know
 
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