Javier Mendez always saw potential in Sergei Pavlovich.

Pavlovich (18-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) faces Tom Aspinall (13-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) for the interim heavyweight title in Saturday’s UFC 295 co-headliner at Madison Square Garden in New York. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and early prelims on ESPN+.

Pavlovich used to train at American Kickboxing Academy years ago, and Mendez says his power is as advertised. Pavlovich has knocked out his past six opponents in the first round.

“I’m very excited for this fight because I used to train Sergei way back about five, six years ago,” Mendez said in an interview with Red Corner MMA. “He was training with me and I saw the green in him and talent – meaning he was very green, but he was super, super talented … very powerful. He had great striking, great power and great attitude. He was so humble.

“I used to enjoy watching him go with Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier because Daniel would kind of like play with him, take him down – only in the wrestling. Nobody could play with him in the standup. But in the wrestling and the grappling area, he was the junior to them. They were the stronger grapplers. Daniel used to take him down and then let him get back up, just to take him down again. He kept doing that and before you know it, Sergei was super tired. It was rough for him on the ground, but in the standup? Oh no, Sergei could hang with anybody.”

Pavlovich’s power has him on the cusp of UFC gold. Currently training at American Top Team, Pavlovich’s lone career loss came in his UFC debut against Alistair Overeem in 2018, where he was finished on the ground. He has since been on a tear.

“Six years later, now we’re talking about a different person,” Mendez said. “We’re talking about someone who has learned, that has been through all the grappling. Now it’s a different individual. I’m sure Sergei’s got everything: ground, obviously standup, and he knocks people out.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.