Tom Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich 69 seconds into the first round to win the UFC interim heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden; The 30-year-old took the fight on 17 days' notice after an injury to champion Jon Jones forced him off the card.
Sunday 12 November 2023 16:25, UK
Tom Aspinall stopped Sergei Pavlovich in the first round to win the interim UFC heavyweight title in New York.
The 30-year-old landed two quick left-right combinations to finish the Russian inside 69 seconds in front of a sold-out Madison Square Garden.
He becomes only the third British UFC title holder in history, after Michael Bisping (middleweight) and Leon Edwards (welterweight).
The interim title fight was a late addition to the card after Jon Jones tore a pectoral tendon off the bone during training late last month. He needed surgery, and his heavyweight title defence against Stipe Miocic at the Garden was called off.
Aspinall stepped in on just 17 days' notice. Pavlovich, already on call as the understudy for the headliner, had no qualms about squaring up, either. But after this latest defeat, the knockout artist must reassess his championship credentials.
Aspinall thought as much after the fight. He collapsed in tears on the canvas and made an emotional speech to the crowd.
He said: "I feel relief. I've achieved what I set out to achieve. After I got the knee injury, I needed to make a decision: do I want this, or do I want to retire?
"I decided I wanted it, and it's paid off. I'm really happy I made that decision, and I'm moving forward".
The Englishman also stated that he was "the best in the world now".
Jones might have beef with that decree and Aspinall is eyeing him up as his next opponent.
"Right now, I want to take a little break," he explained.
"I know there's a lot of contenders coming up at the moment, but I want to fight Jones. That's my goal.
"He's in the top two greatest ever. Of course I want to test myself before my career's over - but more importantly, before his career's over.
"Give me my dream fight," he implored. "Let me fight for my legacy, please."
UFC CEO Dana White is of a different mind and thinks Jones will face Miocic before Aspinall's wishes are answered.
"That's the fight they want, that's the fight that makes sense, that's the fight that should happen," White said.
Depending on Jones' health, the bout could be rescheduled for as early as next summer. But should either fighter step out of the action, Aspinall will be waiting to cement his heavyweight title record further.
No. 1 ranked Heavyweight Ciryl Gane also called out Aspinall on Twitter. He wrote: "Congratulations, Tom. You are now the champion and become the one being pursued, and I am the hunter. See you soon".
Responding in his post-fight press conference, Aspinall said: "I just called him out, went to France, and he turned the fight down. I think he should fight [Jailton] Almeda. I think them guys should fight each other first and see what happens."
