Shamil Abdurakhimov Out, Ciryl Gane Now Meets Sergei Pavlovich on August 8th.

Mandatory Credit: Perry Miller - USA TODAY Sports & Zuffa LLC

A heavyweight matchup between, Shamil 'Abrek' Abdurakhihov, and Ciryl 'Bon Gamin' Gane has fallen to the wayside for the second time.

The two were initially scheduled to meet at the first instalment of UFC 249 on April 18th. - until the French prospect was forced from the pairing having suffered a pneumothorax in preparation for the clash. Due to undisclosed reasons, Abdurakhimov has been forced to withdraw from the second pairing with Gane, slated for UFC 251 on July 11th.

In his place, steps former Fight Nights Global heavyweight champion, Sergei Pavlovich who now meets, Gane, this time at a UFC event on August 8th. News of the reworked pairing was initially reported by French outlet, La Sueur.

Attempting to maintain a six-fight undefeated professional run, La Roche-sur-yon native, Gane last featured at UFC Fight Night Busan in December, taking a unanimous decision win over Tanner Boser. Pavlovich also recorded a victory in his last outing - taking a first-round knockout over Maurice Greene at UFC Fight Night Kallang in October.

Since his Octagon bow back in August of last year, heavyweight prospect, Gane has displayed both expert striking, and a wily submission game. Debuting with a submission win over Raphael Pessoa, Gane then scored a heel hook win over Don'Tale Mayes just two months later. Opposite the aforementioned, Boser - the 30-year-old doubled as many total strikes on his way to a judging triumph.

Debuting at UFC Fight Night Beijing in November of 2018 - Pavlovich tackled a seemingly reinvigorated, decorated kickboxer, Alistair 'The Demolition Man' Overeem, dropping a late first-round, ground-and-pound stoppage. The loss served as the Russian's first professional defeat, and since, his only blemish. Against Marcelo Golm, and the previously noted, Greene - the 28-year-old managed two knockout victories, to bring his career tally to eleven.