That fight, like his last appearance inside the UFC cage, ended in a submission loss, as the Polish contender secured a second-round arm-triangle choke victory, spoiling Krylov’s return to the Octagon and first opportunity to compete in Russia on the biggest stage in the sport.
“I was very disappointed with my previous performance because I got the co-main event in my UFC comeback, I fought for the first time in Moscow and I lost,” said Krylov, who went 4-0 with four finishes, including a second-round knockout of former UFC staple Fabio Maldonado to win the Fight Nights Global light heavyweight title, during his time away from the Octagon.
Seven months after falling to Blachowicz, Krylov got back into the win column by gaining a measure of revenge against Saint Preux, submitting the former interim title challenger in the second round of their rematch at UFC 236.
“The second fight with Saint Preux was a very exciting moment for me,” said Krylov, who pushed his record to 26-6 overall with the victory. “I got to show what I can do when I’m in good shape.
“My preparation before this fight was one of the most expensive in my career. Had I lost, it would be very difficult because I wouldn’t really know what could be improved. Plus, for me, he remained the man who once beat me and (avenging that loss was) important. He fought with Jon Jones for five rounds, defeated Tyson Pedro and I’m glad that I was able to beat Ovince in our rematch.”
Saturday night on the West Coast of Canada, Krylov gets another opportunity to share the cage with a stalwart in the UFC light heavyweight division as he squares off with Teixeira in the last bout before headliners Donald Cerrone and Justin Gaethje set the Octagon ablaze.
Not only is it a crucial contest in terms of the divisional hierarchy in the ever-shifting 205-pound weight class, but it’s also an opportunity for the now 27-year-old Krylov to take that next step forward in his career and clear the hurdle that has tripped him up twice before.
