Oliveira backs Pereira to deliver 'another great knockout' against Pavlovich at UFC 335

Charles Oliveira is confident his longtime friend and training partner Alex Pereira will add another knockout to his highlight reel when the two Brazilians share the UFC 335 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on December 12.

Oliveira, who defends his BMF title against Diego Lopes on the same night, told MMA Fighting he believes Pereira’s striking power and timing will prove too much for heavyweight contender Sergei Pavlovich. “If Poatan lands a punch, if he’s in the right mindset and gets his timing right, if he lands that punch, he can also knock him out easily,” Oliveira said. “It’s a very dangerous fight, I know that, but Pavlovich doesn’t defend against kicks, and Poatan kicks a lot. Poatan moves well. In reality, if he manages to connect and gets his timing right first, it will definitely be another great knockout.”

The pair have known each other for over a decade and have competed on the same card before — most notably at UFC 300 in April 2024, when Pereira knocked out Jamahal Hill on the same night Oliveira dropped a narrow split decision to Arman Tsarukyan. The dynamic has shifted since then. Oliveira has reeled off back-to-back wins over Mateusz Gamrot in Rio de Janeiro and Max Holloway in March, while Pereira steps up to heavyweight for the first time, seeking a statement win over one of the division’s hardest hitters.

Oliveira acknowledged the challenge Pavlovich presents — a physically imposing knockout artist — but framed the matchup as one Pereira is equipped to solve. “Pavlovich is a very tough guy, a heavy hitter, a big guy, a strong guy, but Poatan is Poatan,” he said.

For Oliveira, the occasion carries personal weight beyond the competitive stakes. He had publicly lobbied for a large-scale stadium event in Brazil after both his Gamrot and Holloway victories, specifically requesting Pereira be part of the lineup. While that vision hasn’t materialised in full, sharing a marquee Las Vegas card with his compatriot is the next best thing.

“Two guys who came from the bottom, two guys who have been making history, two great UFC fighters — not just in Brazil, but around the entire world — getting to fight alongside each other,” Oliveira said. “Two tough fights, both mine and his, but I really believe in Poatan’s firepower and his strategy, and in his ability to get in there and win.”