Sergei Pavlovich vs Shamil Abdurakhimov — Fight recap

Sergei Pavlovich defeated Shamil Abdurakhimov via KO/TKO in the first round at 4:03 on March 19, 2022, with referee Daniel Movahedi overseeing the bout. Pavlovich's striking volume overwhelmed his opponent, landing 21 of 47 significant strikes at 44% accuracy while generating one knockdown and controlling the cage for 12 seconds.

Abdurakhimov managed 17 of 34 significant strikes at 50% accuracy and attempted one takedown that was stuffed, but accumulated zero cage control time, indicating he was constantly backpedaling under Pavlovich's pressure. The heavyweight clash featured pure striking exchanges with no grappling sequences, as Pavlovich's forward momentum and power proved decisive in the opening frame.

This dominant performance solidified Pavlovich's position in the heavyweight title picture.