Tallison Teixeira wants Alexander Volkov next after Sergei Pavlovich: ‘Two Russians in a row? That would be funny’

Tallison Teixeira is eyeing Alexander Volkanovski next, but first must prove himself against top heavyweight contender Sergei Pavlovich at this weekend's UFC Macau. The Brazilian striker stated he would find it amusing to face two Russian opponents back-to-back. Teixeira entered the UFC in July 2024 undefeated with an impressive 35-second knockout of Justin Tafa, and at that time expressed confidence in a matchup against Pavlovich. Since then, his trajectory has shifted: he suffered a devastating 35-second loss to Derrick Lewis before rebounding with a victory over Tai Tuivasa. Now with a second chance against Pavlovich, Teixeira views the opportunity differently—with more strategic perspective rather than youthful swagger. A win could accelerate his climb toward heavyweight title contention, though he acknowledges he is not yet focused on pursuing a belt shot.