Daniel Cormier shares some advice for UFC heavyweight contender Sergei Pavlovich

By Susan Cox - April 26, 2023

Daniel Cormier is sharing some advice for UFC heavyweight contender Sergei Pavlovich.

Daniel Cormier

Pavlovich (18-1 MMA) is riding high after scoring his sixth consecutive first-round knockout this past weekend when he entered the cage with Curtis Blayes (17-4 MMA) in the UFC Fight Night headliner.

The 30 year old heavyweight has not had a loss in the Octagon since November of 2018 when he was defeated by Alistair Overeem (47-19 MMA).

Pavlovich, at the post fight press conference, spoke of what is next in his schedule:

“I’ll rest. I’ll eat. I’ll sleep. I’ll rest some more. I’ll wait.”

When asked if he’d like to fight Jones or Miocic next, he replied:

“I wouldn’t say that either of them would be an easy fight. I mean, they’re both hard warriors, so I would have to prepare for whoever it is, then be ready for whoever they give me.”

Sergei Pavlovich

(via Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Well, Cormier is sharing his belief that Sergei Pavlovich should serve as an alternate in the upcoming Jon Jones (27-1 MMA) vs. Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA) bout just like he did for Jones’ vacant title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 285.

Cormier, spoke about Pavlovich on his ESPN show, ‘DC & RC’ (h/t MMAJunkie):

“I weigh in, and I sit there as an alternate. I don’t know if I fight again, because against Ciryl Gane, nobody knew it, but he was the alternate. So he sat there, made the weight, and then when Jon and Ciryl fought, he was just out. But he got paid some money. You don’t wanna risk letting your money dry up. You still get paid along the journey while you still may get an opportunity to fight the champion.”

Continuing Cormier confirmed it would be a good strategy:

“Here’s the thing about those backup fighters. In most cases, especially at heavyweight, if he’s scheduled to fight as a backup, and Stipe and Jon are fighting, if Jones falls out, the fight will be off. If Miocic falls out then they will just slide him in, so he’s not gonna fight Stipe for the belt. He would fight Jones for the belt, so he could prepare as if he’s getting ready to fight Jon Jones and have himself ready to fight him in case he gets the call.”

Concluding the UFC commentator said:

“I would do that, because anything else now would be fighting backwards. Even fighting Stipe would be fighting backwards for Sergei Pavlovich, and I don’t know if right now he needs to do that.”

UFC president Dana White is targeting the Jones vs. Miocic fight for the fall of this year, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Do you agree with Cormier’s advice that Pavlovich should serve as an alternate in the fight between ‘Bones’ and Miocic?

Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


Topics:

Daniel Cormier Sergey Pavlovich