Tom Aspinall knocks Sergei Pavlovich Out at UFC 295

12/11/2023 05:42

The interim heavyweight title was on the line in the UFC 295 co-main event on Saturday between Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall.

Pavlovich entered the bout riding a six-fight winning streak with all of those wins ending in first-round finishes.  He was ranked second in the division.  Aspinall was ranked fourth and came in off a TKO win over Marcin Tybura.  He accepted the bout on two and a half weeks notice.  

Aspinall landed first with a hard leg kick.  Pavlovich landed a combination after Aspinall connected with a leg kick.  Aspinall stepped in the pocked and delivered a right hand that landed on the mark.  It staggered Pavlovich.  A followup right hand dropped Pavlovich.  Pavlovich was out before he hit the canvas.  Aspinall finished with follow up hammer fists. The official stoppage was 1:09 of the first round.    

The heavyweight championship's future remains unknown.  Champion Jon Jones was scheduled to take on former two-time heavyweight titleholder Stipe Miocic in the UFC 295 main event.  He was forced out of the fight card due to a shoulder injury while training.  

The fight promotion opted to keep the bout intact and rebook the fight when Jones is recovered and ready.  When the fight happens, it could be the winner's final bout.