TLDR
- Alex Pereira will face Sergei Pavlovich in the UFC 335 co-main event on December 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
- Pereira lost his first heavyweight fight to Ciryl Gane by second-round TKO in June after vacating his light heavyweight title
- Pavlovich brings a three-fight winning streak into the bout and previously challenged for an interim title in 2023
- The bout is scheduled for five rounds, giving both fighters more time than a standard three-round fight
- Pereira holds a 13-4 overall record while Pavlovich has gone 8-2 in his last ten UFC appearances
Sources: yardbarker.com | google.com | sports.yahoo.com
Alex Pereira will return to the heavyweight division when he faces Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event of UFC 335 on December 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The UFC announced the five-round bout during the UFC 332 broadcast on Saturday.
Pereira, a former two-division champion who held titles at both light heavyweight and middleweight, will be making his second attempt at heavyweight glory. He lost his first heavyweight fight by second-round technical knockout to UFC heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane at the White House card in June.
Daniel Cormier believes Alex Pereira should stay at light heavyweight, calling 205 pounds the perfect weight class for him.
DC says heavyweight may be too big for Pereira, while cutting back down to 185 would take too much out of him. At 205, he believes Pereira can fully… pic.twitter.com/Lt2vGf6ljt
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) October 3, 2026
The Brazilian fighter vacated his light heavyweight title before moving up to challenge Gane for the interim heavyweight championship. Despite the loss, Pereira earned another opportunity in the division with this high-profile matchup against Pavlovich.
Pereira’s Path to UFC 335
Before his heavyweight debut against Gane, Pereira reclaimed the light heavyweight title with a first-round technical knockout victory over Magomed Ankalaev. His overall professional record stands at 13-4.
Pereira’s ability to compete across multiple weight classes has been a defining feature of his UFC career. He previously held championships in both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions before deciding to test himself against the promotion’s largest fighters.
Pavlovich Looks to Crack Title Picture
Pavlovich enters the bout riding a three-fight winning streak. The Russian fighter most recently stopped Tallison Teixeira in the first round at UFC Macau in May, according to MMA Fighting.
The 34-year-old has been knocking on the door of title contention for several years. He fell short in an interim heavyweight title fight against Tom Aspinall in 2023 and lost a decision to Alexander Volkov before starting his current winning streak.
Pavlovich has posted an 8-2 record in his last ten UFC appearances. A victory over Pereira would likely put him back in line for another shot at UFC gold.
The five-round format gives both fighters more time to work than a standard three-round bout. This extended timeframe could prove crucial for Pereira, who has shown finishing ability throughout his career but will face a dangerous knockout artist in Pavlovich.
UFC 335 is expected to add more fights to the card in the coming days, according to BJPenn.com. The December 12 date gives both fighters several weeks to prepare for their heavyweight clash in Las Vegas.
