UFC 277: Sergei Pavlovich get controversial stoppage over Derrick Lewis (Video)

Derrick Lewis and Sergei Pavlovich collided at UFC 277.

Texas welcomed back one of their sons for UFC 277 in Derrick Lewis, who got some of the loudest reactions of the night. His opponent is Russian knockout artist Sergei Pavlovich, a fighter that Lewis may very well match power for power with. Both men are known for their striking prowess and strength, with the fight starting off with a certain kind of electricity that few fights have.

The fight wouldn’t go long, with Pavolovich overwhelming Lewis with a barrage of punches, dropping Lewis to the ground. Pavlovich landed easily a dozen-plus strikes to the head, before getting Lewis to face plant into the mat. Controversy was bound to happen tonight, however, with Dan Miragliotta calling off the fight right before Lewis returned to his feet.

It may have been a quick stoppage, but there was no doubt that Pavlovich had the fight well in hand.

Move Sergei Pavlovich onto a more well-rounded fighter

While many will want to see a rematch, this marks Lewis’ third loss by KO/TKO in his last four fights. Lewis, who is 37 years old, is clearly no longer the fighter he once was, and even if we subscribe to the notion that Lewis’ fight was stopped early, one could easily argue it was on its way to being over within seconds of that big knockdown.

Pavlovich out-struck Lewis and dominated him, running it back isn’t the smart play for Lewis, who should move into more of the Anthony Smith portion of the card, and not as a real title contender, while Pavlovich should get a shot at another top heavyweight in the division.

UFC 277: Julianna Peña vs. Amanda Nunes takes place on Saturday, July 30, 2022, live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your news and highlights.