REPORT | Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik booked for UFC’s return to Saudi Arabia

A Top 10 UFC heavyweight showdown between Sergei Pavlovich and Jairzinho Rozenstruik is reportedly set for the promotion’s return to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to MMA Mania‘s Alex Behunin, Pavlovich and Rozenstruik will meet at a UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia on February 1st. As of this writing, the promotion hasn’t formally announced the booking.

If the Pavlovich vs. Rozenstruik is indeed finalized, it adds to a growing card for UFC Saudi Arabia next year. A middleweight clash between Ikram Aliskerov and Andre Muniz was also recently added to the card slate.

Pavlovich returns to the Octagon looking to snap the first losing skid of his MMA career. He hasn’t fought since a unanimous decision loss to Alexander Volkov in June.

Before the loss to Volkov, Pavlovich lost a UFC interim heavyweight title clash against Tom Aspinall at UFC 295. He earned six consecutive knockouts leading up to the loss to Aspinall.

Top strikers Sergei Pavlovich and Jairzinho Rozenstruik meet on February 1

https://twitter.com/AlexBehunin/status/1851053618172215505

Pavlovich has knocked out Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, and Curtis Blaydes during his promotional tenure. Before making his UFC debut in 2018, he won the Fight Nights Global heavyweight championship and Grand Prix tournament.

Pavlovich will face another tough heavyweight test against the surging Rozenstruik. Winner of back-to-back high-profile fights, Rozenstruik is an accomplished striker with one-punch knockout power and solid technique.

Rozenstruik most recently defeated Tuivasa by split decision at UFC 305. He’s won three of his last four fights overall, including a TKO win over the then-undefeated Shamil Gaziev in March.

Rozenstruik has had an up-and-down UFC tenure but seems to be finding his stride at this stage of his career. A win over Pavlovich would likely move him into a potential No. 1 contender fight.

As of this writing, it’s uncertain if Pavlovich vs. Rozenstruik will serve as the card’s main event. The remaining fights on the card are expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.