Sergei Pavlovich and Waldo Cortes-Acosta represented the UFC’s heaviest weight class at UFC Shanghai on Saturday, facing off in main card action.
Pavlovich, the favorite coming in, entered off a decision victory over Jair Rozenstruik, who had since been sent packing from the promotion. Cortes-Acosta had won five straight.
The big men were a little gun-shy early, with Pavlovich backing Cortes-Acosta up to the fence. When Pavlovich did uncork a right hand, he landed, though more significant perhaps was the clash of heads that ensued. Still, they fought on, exchanging in bursts. Cortes-Acosta connected to the side of the head, but Pavlovich took that well and returned fire. Waldo ripped a kick, Pavlovich countered with a right that landed clean. Cortes-Acosta also found the mark with an overhand right of his own.
In round two, Cortes-Acosta targeted the body with his jab. Nearly two minutes in, Pavlovich uncorked a combination that saw a right hand catch Cortes-Acosta. To Waldo’s credit (or to his chin’s), he ate it, but too many of those and he might end up caught napping. Another right hand, then a straight left, connected for Pavlovich with about two minutes left. Sergei then caught Cortes-Acosta on the way in with a check hook, though again, he shook it off.
Pavlovich connected big one again about a minute into the third. And once again, Cortes-Acosta was kept in the fight by his granite chin. The Russian mixed in leg kicks, continued to have success with his hands, and was almost certainly well ahead on the scorecards. Cortes-Acosta found himself tagged alongside the fence with 90 seconds to go, though he stayed standing. Moments later, another right hand landed for Pavlovich. Cortes-Acosta, too durable for his own good, would not go away. His only offense, however, was to explode forward, exposing himself as he did so. Cortes-Acosta pointed to the floor in the final ten seconds, and while Pavlovich stood and traded, it wasn’t quite a Max Holloway moment.
Official Result: Sergei Pavlovich def. Waldo Cortes-Acosta by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
