UFC heavyweight Sergei Pavlovich won his fight against Curtis Blaydes, but admits he had a rough start to Fight Night 222 after losing all his money gambling in Las Vegas.
Retired UFC fighter Alan Jouban posted a video on Twitter of Pavlovich at a casino gambling on a slot machine just hours before his fight:
Somewhat predictably, the video circulated online prior to the fight, with many Twitter users appreciating the Russian fighter’s pre-fight routine. Not a pre-fight ritual, though, because Pavlovich confessed it was one of the first times he gambled.
I’m thinking ‘Alright, maybe I’ll win some more,’ and then I lost everything.”
The fighter said a friend had given him $100 to spend. “First I won,” Pavlovich said. But then he added: “I’m thinking ‘Alright, maybe I’ll win some more,’ and then I lost everything.”
With many fighters being the superstitious type, Pavlovich might just take up pre-bout betting given the scale of his Blaydes win. His opening round demolition of the American boosted him to second in the UFC heavyweight rankings.