On the main card of UFC Orlando, Sergei Pavlovich astoundingly knocked out Tai Tuivasa in the first round. The 30-year-old extended the UFC-best active KO streak to 5.
From the first exchange of the bout, it was clear that the Russian heavyweight contender came prepared to finish the fight. Tuivasa was stunned by a devastating overhand right that Pavlovich delivered after pressing forward. Tuivasa sought to retaliate, but Pavlovich wouldn’t back down and kept advancing on foot.
Before the bout ended, Tai Tuivasa was knocked down three times. At the 0:54 mark of the first round, the referee intervened to stop the bout when Sergei Pavlovich delivered a wonderfully placed uppercut to Tuivasa while he was on the ground.
https://twitter.com/thingsufc1/status/1599262870423756800?s=20&t=EJl7t5tTNU2SXqq14Vvl9A
With this victory, Sergei Pavlovich increased his UFC knockout winning run to five. He established himself as a serious contender in the competitive heavyweight category.
The Russian is now tied with Islam Makhachev and Jalin Turner in the UFC for the longest active finish streak (5).
Tai Tuivasa suffered his second defeat in three months at the hands of Sergei Pavlovich. With a five-win streak, Tuivasa was experiencing a significant career revival. After losing his last two games, Tuivasa is once again in a difficult situation.
Pavlovich is no joke pic.twitter.com/zUmNE6s4nr
— Zoheb MMA (@ZohebMMA) December 4, 2022
In order to cheer up Tuivasa, former UFC interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane said on Twitter:
“Keep your head up my guy Tai Tuivasa . And Pavlovich… you’re the REAL DEAL…!”
Even prior to the event many raised question as to why Tuivasa was even allowed to be in the contest, barely 6 months after the beating that Cyril Gane put on him. UFC athlete medical suspension tend to run 3 to 6 months – and by some accounts Tuivasa shouldn’t have even been sparring let alone taking part in a sanctioned bout.
Following a concussion, MMA athletes often have motor skill impairment. After knockouts or other forms of traumatic brain injuries, a number of symptoms, including mental fogginess, memory loss, sleeplessness, headaches, irritability, and sensitivity to light, are often present. Those symptoms must go away for an extended amount of time before an athlete is given the go-ahead to resume their regular training schedule.