Pereira returns to heavyweight as five-round UFC 335 co-main against Pavlovich confirmed

Alex Pereira will make his second appearance at heavyweight when he faces Sergei Pavlovich in a five-round co-main event at UFC 335 on December 12 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The matchup was confirmed during UFC 332 on Saturday.

Pereira, a former two-division champion across middleweight and light heavyweight, moved up to heavyweight earlier this year in pursuit of an unprecedented third UFC title. That bid ended in a knockout loss to current heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane at the UFC White House card in June. Rather than drop back down in weight, Pereira is staying at heavyweight, and a win over Pavlovich could put him back in title contention.

For Pavlovich, the fight represents his highest-profile opportunity to date. The Russian heavyweight has endured a turbulent stretch — he lost an interim title fight to Tom Aspinall in 2023 and then suffered a second consecutive defeat, dropping a decision to Alexander Volkov. He has since strung together three straight wins, most recently stopping Tallison Teixeira by knockout in May, and a victory over a name as prominent as Pereira would firmly re-establish him as a title contender.

Both fighters arrive with something to prove: Pereira looking to bounce back from the first knockout loss of his UFC career, and Pavlovich seeking the signature win that has so far eluded him. With the heavyweight title picture still unsettled, the stakes for the December co-main are considerable.

UFC 335 is expected to announce additional bouts in the coming days as the card takes shape.