UFC Saudi Arabia Preview: Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov Prediction, Odds, and Picks (June 22)
- We’ve got an interesting Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov prediction for you!
- The Pavlovich vs. Volkov odds favor the former interim title challenger to win.
- Pavlovich is one of the best strikers in the UFC, but Volkov is much more well-rounded.
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov is a clash of two Russian giants. Pavlovich is the fighter with the largest Ape Index (the ratio between one’s arm span and their height), while Volkov is the tallest active UFC fighter, standing at 6’7.
The Pavlovich vs. Volkov heavyweight fight will serve as the co-main event of UFC on ABC 6 in Saudi Arabia. If you want to learn about the headliner bout, make sure to read our Whittaker vs. Aliskerov prediction.
If you’re more interested in the co-main, just keep on reading as we’ll soon reveal our Pavlovich vs. Volkov prediction and top picks.
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Sergei Pavlovich | -212 |
| Alexander Volkov | +182 |
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Date: Saturday, June 22, 2024
- Time: ~3:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ABC
Fight Preview
Sergei Pavlovich is 18-2 overall with 15 wins by KO/TKO. Both of his losses happened in the UFC. The first one was in his promotional debut, when we saw Alistair Overeem beat him by a TKO. He didn’t let the loss discourage him, though.
From there, he went on to win the next six fights by KO/TKO, each time in the first round. His brilliant run earned him a shot at the interim title, but that’s when his second career loss happened – Tom Aspinall beat him by a first-round KO last November.
Now, Pavlovich wants to bounce back with a win over his compatriot Volkov. The good news for Pavlovich’s fans is that he’s a much better striker than Volkov. In fact, he’s the one who lands more significant strikes per minute than any other fighter in the heavyweight division (8.21).
However, the fact is that he’s not a very good wrestler or grappler. He hasn’t landed a single takedown nor made a single submission attempt since joining the UFC in 2018.
His opponent at UFC Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, has way more weapons in his arsenal. As you’d expect from a 6’7 giant, Alexander Volkov is a great boxer who’s very hard to hit.
However, he’s also very good when it comes to wrestling and grappling, the evidence being that he’s got four wins by submission in his portfolio. One of those happened in his most recent fight, in which he beat Tai Tuivasa with an Ezekiel choke.
Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov Prediction
Sergei Pavlovich is the betting favorite in the June 22 fight with the UFC Saudi Arabia odds of -212. We understand why that is the case, but we think that Alexander Volkov does have a very good chance to stage an upset.
This guy looks like the worst kind of opponent for Pavlovich at this point. He’s got the build and the skillset to neutralize Pavlovich’s most lethal weapon, which is striking. And if he can get close to him, we don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t strangle him to submission.
Free Pick:
- Alexander Volkov
