Glover
Teixeira believes Sergei
Pavlovich is a more favorable matchup for Alex
Pereira than Ciryl
Gane.
Pavlovich and the former two-division
Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder are scheduled to
meet in the co-main event of UFC
335 on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas. Pereira’s coach and mentor,
Teixeira, believes the Russian’s more stationary style makes him a
less challenging opponent than reigning heavyweight champion
Gane.
Glover Teixeira explains why Sergei Pavlovich presents a better
stylistic matchup than Ciryl Gane
“Poatan” is coming off a second-round technical knockout loss to
Gane in his heavyweight debut at
UFC Freedom 250 in June. Teixeira believes his protégé will
fare better against Pavlovich, who lacks Gane’s footwork and
evasiveness.
Speaking to Sherdog, Teixeira welcomed the matchup, which he
predicts will end before the fifth round. The former light
heavyweight champion also outlined Pereira’s path to victory and
reiterated his goal of becoming the first three-division UFC
champion.
“It was the fight to make. Every heavyweight fight is dangerous,
and this one definitely isn’t going to the fifth round,” Teixeira
said. “It’s a better matchup for ‘Poatan’ compared to Ciryl Gane’s
style. Gane moves around more, while Pavlovich tends to stay more
planted. To win, ‘Poatan’ needs to fight the right fight, maintain
his distance and be faster. ‘Poatan’s goal is still to win a third
title, and that’s what he is focused on right now.”