Tom Aspinall wins title, floors Sergei Pavlovich with thunderous first round KO – UFC 295 Highlights
In a spectauclar year for Atherton native, Tom Aspinall, returning from a catastrophic knee in injury just last summer, can call himself the first UFC heavyweight champion from the UK — landing interim divisional gold with a massive first round knockout win over streaking Russian finisher, Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event of UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden.
Aspinall, who entered tonight’s co-headlining interim title fight with Pavlovich as the number four ranked contender, rebounded from a brutal knee injury back in July on home soil at UFC London, stopping Marcin Tybura with a first round knockout win.
And co-headlining UFC 295 tonight in New York, Tom Aspinall joined welterweight champion, Leon Edwards as an Octagon gold holder hailing from England — flooring Russian force, Pavlovich with a brutal opening round KO win at ‘The Mecca’ — bringing a crashing end to the former Fight Nights Global titleholder’s six-fight run of consecutive knockout wins.
With the victory, Aspinall has been tipped to fight for undisputed heavyweight gold in an eventual unification fight against fellow champion, Jon Jones, or former champion, Stipe Miocic — who are expected to compete for the championship in a reworked bout at some stage next year.
