Tom Aspinall claimed the interim UFC heavyweight title on Saturday night, knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in the first round in New York City.
The Englishman won by knockout in the first round.
شاهد..الضربة القاضية من توم اسبينال على سيرغي بافلوفيتش 😳🔥
Watch…the knockout from Tom Aspinall over Sergey Pavlovich 😳🔥 pic.twitter.com/VHsg4ypges
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) November 12, 2023
Round 1: Aspinall starts with a powerful low kick. In this fight of phenomena, Pavlovich accelerates and hits the Englishman with a right and the latter falters. After a sublime dodge, the Briton unleashes a sequence with big hooks that hit the Russian. Tom Aspinall finishes the work on the ground and wins by KO! Incredible performance!
Thanks to this victory by KO, the Briton becomes interim champion of the heavyweight category. He will now have to wait before the return of champion Jon Jones, who must face Stipe Miocic next year.
شاهد .. كيف عبر الجمهور الانجليزي فرحاً بالبطل توم اسبينال #UFC295Live
Watch…how the English audience expressed joy over champion Tom Aspinall #UFC295 pic.twitter.com/jHxjw7jpxF
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) November 12, 2023
The Wigan fighter, 30, followed up with a trio of hammer fists to the downed Pavlovich, sealing the knockout to become the third British champion in UFC history.
“I can’t even tell you, it’s been a crazy two-and-a-half weeks,” Aspinall said, having fought through a bout of tears. “Oh, my God. I just want to say to everyone at home: Listen, if you ever get the chance to do something, and you’re scared to do it, you should f***ing definitely do it, because there’s a chance it’s gonna pay off.
“He’s a big, scary guy. I’ve never been as scared in my life as fighting this guy, but I’ve got a lot of power, too. And I believe in myself, I really believe in myself. I’ve worked so hard over the years.”
توم اسبينال يفوز على سيرغي بافلوفيتش بالضربة القاضية في الجولة الاولى 🏆 #UFC295Live
Tom Aspinall defeats Sergey Pavlovich by knockout in the first round 🏆 #UFC295 pic.twitter.com/dVlJOSNVVb
— mmamag.ma (@jamalsoussi10) November 12, 2023
In 2016, Michael Bisping knocked out Luke Rockhold to win the middleweight belt on short notice, and in 2022, Leon Edwards won the welterweight title with a knockout of Kamaru Usman.
It is as yet unclear whether Aspinall will fight Jones next, or whether the UFC will rebook Jones versus 41-year-old Miocic. In that case, Aspinall would potentially have to defend the interim belt in the meantime. However, there is also a belief that Aspinall could be elevated to regular champion in Jones’s absence.
