With big-ticket main events, it’s always good to have a backup
plan.
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According to ESPN,
Sergei
Pavlovich will serve in as the alternate fighter for the
Jon
Jones–Ciryl Gane
headliner at UFC 285
on Saturday. Pavlovich will weigh-in on Friday and must hit the
heavyweight mark to be eligible to step in should something happen
to either Jones or Gane. UFC president Dana White confirmed during
the UFC Fight Night 220 post-fight press conference that the
heavyweight title bout would have an alternate but he did not name
the fighter who would serve in that role.
Pavlovich is currently scheduled to face Curtis
Blaydes in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card on April
22. The 30-year-old Russian owns a 17-1 career mark, with his lone
setback coming against Alistair
Overeem in his Octagon debut. Since then, Pavlovich has won
five consecutive UFC bouts — all via first-round KO/TKO.
UFC 285 takes place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and features
the showdown between Jones and Gane for the vacant heavyweight
title. In the co-main event, Valentina
Shevchenko will defend the flyweight crown against Alexa
Grasso. The main card airs on pay-per-view via ESPN+ beginning
at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.