“I’ll be back in the cage soon. I want to be active and perform so I can have a chance to fight for the belt again. This is my goal and we will get there! I see your support, thank you all!” This is what Sergei Pavlovich stated after losing the interim championship belt to Tom Aspinall at UFC 295. After that monumental loss, questions about the Russian juggernaut being the force he once was intensified even more, especially after his second defeat in a row to Alexander Volkov.

 But Pavlovich has returned with a bang. Although he was on a two-fight losing streak, he paved the way for a massive comeback with his win over Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC Saudi Arabia earlier this year. While that fight drew some criticism for being uneventful, almost two years after his loss to Aspinall, his bout against Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC Shanghai became a true banger, as he secured a unanimous decision victory.

Just like that, Pavlovich is back on track with a two-fight winning streak. Some questions about him being held back against his opponent have also been raised by Michael Bisping on the commentary team. Still, without a doubt, the Russian is back in form and looking forward to even more enticing challenges.

At the Octagon interview post-fight, he shared, “Thank you China, thank you Russia for the support! And yes, if you look at the fight, you would know that we studied him. We knew that we were gonna be a new fighter inside here—a very intelligent Sergey Pavlovich. I would like to say that thank you to all who’ve helped me out. To all the guys I trained with I couldn’t do it without you.”

With Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane set to clash at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi this November, Pavlovich’s path may have become a bit clearer after his victory against Waldo Cortes-Acosta. He could be just one win away from re-entering the title conversation. However, it remains to be seen which opponent would best position him for a championship shot.

Serghei Pavlovich’s next opponent after UFC Shanghai win   

What makes this win even more special for Sergei Pavlovich is the fact that his opponent came in riding a five-fight winning streak. By stopping a surging contender at such a crucial moment, Pavlovich proved he’s still a real threat in the heavyweight division. Still, it seems he’ll likely need one more key victory before truly securing another shot at gold — and he definitely has a few enticing options.

Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida are set to clash at UFC 321. If Almeida comes out on top, a number-one contender bout between him and Pavlovich would make perfect sense. If not, a showdown with Derrick Lewis could also be on the table, especially after ‘The Black Beast’ scored an impressive win over Tallison Teixeira at UFC Fight Night Nashville. Either way, there are plenty of exciting fights ahead for the Russian powerhouse. 

Another intriguing scenario would be matching him against the loser of Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane. That kind of fight would be the perfect measuring stick before a title shot and could solidify Pavlovich’s case as the next challenger. For now, it all comes down to what Dana White and the UFC brass have in mind for his future. 

That said, Will Pavlovich be fast-tracked back into title contention, or will he need to grind out a few more wins before getting his shot? Comment your thoughts down below!