Sergei Pavlovich isn't staying quiet while Alex Pereira deals with a messy week behind the scenes. According to uol.com.br, Pereira has been trading accusations and barbs away from the cameras, and Pavlovich decided to wade into it himself, posting a message on his official X account promising a surprise for their upcoming fight.

The two are set to meet at UFC 335: Oliveira vs. Lopes on December 12, 2026. Our own model leans toward Pavlovich too, giving him a 62 percent chance against Pereira's 38 percent, though it rates the fight as only slight confidence either way.

The matchup pits a heavyweight against a light heavyweight moving up in weight. Pereira, meanwhile, is coming off a loss to Ciryl Gane on June 14, 2026, falling to punches in the second round.

Given that recent result, this fight carries real weight for Pereira's trajectory outside his usual division, and a loss here against a top heavyweight would raise more questions about where he goes next. For Pavlovich, beating a fighter of Pereira's profile would be another notable scalp as he pushes for a shot at the heavyweight title picture. Whatever Pavlovich's teased surprise turns out to be, it's clear he wants attention on this fight, not just on Pereira's off camera drama.