“He Passed the Test”: After Surpassing Stipe Miocic in the Rankings, Sergei Pavlovich Receives Words of Praise From Daniel Cormier

With a dominant win at UFC Vegas 71 this past weekend, heavyweight slugger Sergei Pavlovich has inserted himself into the Jon Jones conversation. The 30-year-old Russian earned another first-round knockout win over Curtis Blaydes in the main event and extended his win streak to 6 fights in a row.

Following the win, Pavlovich asked for the belt, implying he was ready to fight for the title. Notably, he was also the backup fighter for UFC 285, where Jon Jones fought for the heavyweight title.

Now, the juggernaut has surpassed former champion Stipe Miocic in the rankings and is the choice for many fans and pros as the next title challenger. This makes things interesting at the 265 lbs division as Jones was leaning towards a legacy fight against Miocic.

While the heavyweight title picture gets more heated and dramatic, former champion Daniel Cormier has chimed in with this two cents on a potential Jon Jones vs. Sergei Pavlovich matchup.

Daniel Cormier on Jon Jones vs. Sergei Pavlovich

In a recent episode of DC & RC, Cormier took a closer look at Pavlovich’s recent win and what a fight against Jon Jones would look like. He said, “If you can get through Curtis Blaydes, especially as a striker, it tells you that you are able to go and fight the best in the world. Because, for a long time, the best in the world have been guys that possess the wrestling ability. He passed that test.”

He continued, “He’s as sure of a guy that deserves a title fight as I’ve seen and RC, I will tell you this. I’ve got a group message with all my friends and while they may not have great feelings about Jon Jones, they think that this right here… is a real challenge for him and can present him [with] a lot of problems.”

For many, Pavlovich’s fight against Blaydes was the ultimate test for a striker. Blaydes is one of the finest wrestlers in the heavyweight division and many considered him a good matchup for Jon Jones. However, Pavlovich passed the test with flying colors.

Read More– “You’re Getting It Sooner Rather Than Later!”: Fans Back Sergei Pavlovich as He Asks for the “Belt” After Toppling Stipe Miocic in the UFC Rankings

Now, the tune has somewhat changed and fans and pros are entertaining the idea that the Russian would pose a significant threat to Jones. Do you think that is the case? Will Pavlovich’s power be too much for Jones? Or will the inevitable Jon ‘Bones’ Jones successfully conquer the Russian?

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Let us know in the comments.