UFC Vegas 71 live blog: Sergei Pavlovich vs. Curtis Blaydes

This is the UFC Vegas 71 live blog for Sergei Pavlovich vs. Curtis Blaydes, the heavyweight main event on Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Pavlovich is MMA Fighting’s No. 5 ranked heavyweight in the world. The ferocious Russian has been on a tear since losing in his UFC debut, racking up five consecutive first-round knockouts to force his way into title contention. Pavlovich’s two most recent victories, over Tai Tuivasa and Derrick Lewis, each ended in less than a minute. With another win on Saturday, Pavlovich could be the next man in line to challenge for the UFC belt.

The same can be said for Blaydes, who sits at No. 4 in MMA Fighting’s heavyweight rankings. A longtime contender, Blaydes has won seven of his past eight UFC appearances, including four by KO/TKO. Curtis has long called for his opportunity to challenge for the UFC heavyweight title. If Saturday goes well, that opportunity could finally be his.

Check out the UFC Vegas 71 main event live blog below.