Derrick Lewis will be making his Octagon return against Sergei Pavlovich in July.
ESPN is reporting that “The Black Beast” and Pavlovich are targeted for the UFC’s July 30 date. No event name or location has been announced as of this writing. However, it is expected to serve as the UFC 277 pay-per-view (PPV) event.
Lewis is currently the No. 5-ranked heavyweight in the UFC, and the promotion’s all-time leading knockout artist with 13. His last Octagon outing resulted in a second-round knockout loss to Tai Tuivasa in his hometown of Houston, Texas at UFC 271. Lewis has lost two of his last three fights after stringing together a four-fight win streak prior.
Pavlovich sits at the No. 11-ranked heavyweight slot and is in the midst of a three-fight win streak. All three of those victories have come via knockout. His first and only loss under the UFC banner came during his promotional debut against Alistair Overeem in November of 2018, where he was knocked out in the first round.
A potential win over Lewis would be a huge boost for the Russian prospect, automatically putting him in the hunt for a title opportunity. Of course, he’ll have to overcome Lewis, who, as aforementioned, is statistically the most dangerous power puncher in UFC history.
It will be interesting to see who comes out on top when the two proven finishers collide inside the Octagon. Who are you picking between Derrick Lewis and Sergei Pavlovich? Let us know in the comments below!
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