Tallison Teixeira is scheduled to face Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Macau and is already considering his next opponent.
Teixeira has expressed interest in fighting Alexander Volkov after his bout with Pavlovich. According to Teixeira, facing two Russian fighters in a row would be “funny”.
Teixeira’s Confidence Ahead of Pavlovich Fight
Teixeira is approaching his fight with Sergei Pavlovich with a grounded perspective. He acknowledged Pavlovich as a really tough guy. Teixeira referenced a conversation in July 2025 where he expressed confidence in defeating Pavlovich, but recognises the challenge now.
“I see it in a more grounded way now,” Teixeira told MMA Fighting. “I still see him as a really tough guy.”
Teixeira believes Pavlovich has lost some of his momentum and aggression. He attributes this to Pavlovich’s recent fights ending in decisions, contrasting with his earlier streak of first-round knockouts.
“Of course, when it’s time for our fight, he might go crazy like he used to, come forward recklessly and throw everything into that one punch and try to finish the fight right away,” Teixeira said.
Teixeira anticipates a finish in his fight against Pavlovich. He plans to gradually wear down Pavlovich. Teixeira aims to break Pavlovich’s aura.
Title Shot Ambitions
Teixeira believes defeating Pavlovich would elevate him into the top heavyweight rankings. He thinks it would put him in the top 5, maybe top 3.
Even with a win, Teixeira does not expect an immediate title shot. Teixeira stated, “Even if I beat him, I don’t think I’d immediately be in the title conversation,” Teixeira said. “Honestly, I don’t even want that yet. I think I still need one or two more fights before getting into that discussion.”
Potential Fight Against Volkov
Teixeira has identified Alexander Volkov as a potential opponent if he defeats Pavlovich. He sees Volkov as the ideal next step. This is especially relevant with Alex Pereira battling Ciryl Gane for the interim belt while Aspinall recovers.
Tallison Teixeira is set to fight Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Macau.