Charles Oliveira thinks he has found the hole in Sergei Pavlovich’s game.
Oliveira and Alex Pereira share the top of the UFC 335 card on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas. Oliveira defends his BMF title against Diego Lopes in the main event, and Pereira faces Pavlovich in the co-main. Speaking with MMA Fighting, Oliveira backed his fellow Brazilian.
Two tough fights, both mine and his, but I really believe in ‘Poatan’s’ firepower and his strategy, and in his ability to get in there and win.
Pavlovich is a very tough guy, a heavy hitter, a big guy, a strong guy, but ‘Poatan’ is ‘Poatan.’ If ‘Poatan’ lands a punch, if he’s in the right mindset and gets his timing right, if he lands that punch, he can also knock him out easily.
Oliveira pointed to Pereira’s kicks as the difference.
It’s a very dangerous fight, I know that, but Pavlovich doesn’t defend against kicks, and ‘Poatan’ kicks a lot. ‘Poatan’ moves well. In reality, if he manages to connect and gets his timing right first, it will definitely be another great knockout.
Pereira is coming off a knockout loss to Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut at UFC Freedom 250 in June. He has said he may leave heavyweight if he loses again, and he opened as the underdog against Pavlovich.
A win would keep alive Pereira’s hopes of becoming the first three-division champion in UFC history.
