UFC 295 LIVE results: Aspinall knocks out Pavlovich before Pereira stops Prochazka
Re-live updates after the vacant light-heavyweight title and interim heavyweight belt were contested at Madison Square Garden
Tom Aspinall claimed the interim UFC heavyweight title on Saturday night, knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in the first round in New York City.
The main event of UFC 295 was due to see Jon Jones defend the heavyweight title against divisional great Stipe Miocic, but that bout was cancelled on two weeks’ notice after Jones suffered an injury in training. With Jones, 36, set to face eight months on the sidelines, the UFC pitted Aspinall against Pavlovich to crown an interim champion, and it was the Briton who triumphed at Madison Square Garden.
Aspinall, who admitted to being “scared” ahead of his fight with the Russian, caught Pavlovich with two clean right hands in the first round, wobbling him with the first and dropping him with the second. 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.
Aspinall vs Pavlovich in fact served as the co-main event of UFC 295, while the original co-main event was elevated and saw Alex Pereira beat Jiri Prochazka for the vacant light-heavyweight title.
Pereira, a former middleweight champion, became the ninth two-weight champion in UFC history by securing a TKO in Round 2. The Brazilian dropped his Czech opponent with a left hook before unleashing a series of elbows, before referee Marc Goddard stepped in.
Re-live updates and results from the UFC 295 main card and prelims, below.
UFC 295 LIVE: Jiri Prochazka vs Alex Pereira
Here comes Pereira. The Brazilian, 36, won the middleweight belt one year ago, knocking out his old kickboxing rival Israel Adesanya to do so. In April, Adesanya reversed the result to regain the gold.
Pereira then debuted at 205lbs this summer, outpointing former champion Jan Blachowicz.
UFC 295 LIVE: Jiri Prochazka vs Alex Pereira
What a moment. Now, for the main event...
Former light-heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka bids to regain the vacant belt, facing ex-middleweight champion Alex Pereira.
This should be fun...
UFC 295 LIVE: Tom Aspinall vs Sergei Pavlovich
Tom Aspinall def. Sergei Pavlovich via first-round knockout (punches, 1:09).
“I can’t even tell you, it’s been a crazy two-and-a-half weeks. If you ever get the chance to do something, and you’re scared to do it, you should definitely f***ing do it,” Aspinall says.
“I’ve never been as scared in my life as fighting this guy, but I believe in myself.”
Aspinall dedicates the win to his dad Andy, who’s on his team, and drapes the belt over his shoulder.
UFC 295 LIVE: Tom Aspinall vs Sergei Pavlovich
Round 1
The heavyweights embrace each other at their final face-off. And we’re under way.
Both men stand orthodox. Hard outside low kick by Aspinall to get things going. Lots of feints from the Briton.
Front kick comes up just short for Aspinall, who then kicks low again. He’s tagged by a left hook up top, though!
Aspinall eats it... He sees a head kick blocked now.
OH! TWO RIGHT HANDS HURT PAVLOVICH, WITH A LEFT IN BETWEEN! HE’S DOWN!
THREE HAMMER FISTS BY ASPINALL, AND IT’S OVER! BRITAIN STAND UP!
Aspinall is in tears!!
UFC 295 LIVE: Tom Aspinall vs Sergei Pavlovich
Pavlovich’s sole loss came in his UFC debut, when he suffered an early TKO by Alistair Overeem. Since then, however, the 31-year-old has knocked out every opponent in Round 1.
Meanwhile, 30-year-old Aspinall’s only UFC defeat came via injury in July 2022, when his knee gave out just seconds into his bout with Curtis Blaydes.
The Wigan fighter bounced back this July, however, stopping Marcin Tybura in Round 1.
Okay, everybody, brace yourselves... Here we go...
UFC 295 LIVE: Tom Aspinall vs Sergei Pavlovich
Aspinall’s professional record stands at 13-3, with all of his wins having come via stoppage, while Pavlovich is 18-1 and has 15 stoppage wins.
Both men are 6-1 in the UFC. All of Pavlovich’s wins have come in Round 1; all of Aspinall’s have come in Round 1 or 2.
Not many fans and pundits expect this fight to last very long, and you can see why...
Now, here comes Pavlovich.
UFC 295 LIVE: Tom Aspinall vs Sergei Pavlovich
Right, then... Co-main event time! Britain’s Tom Aspinall faces Russia’s Sergei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight title.
Jon Jones was due to defend the heavyweight belt against divisional great Stipe Miocic, but an injury forced Jones out of the fight on two weeks’ notice.
So, here we are...
Aspinall is out first – not to his usual walkout song (”Move On Up” by Curtis Mayfield), but to “Englishman In New York” by Sting.
UFC 295 LIVE: Jessica Andrade vs Mackenzie Dern
Jessica Andrade def. Mackenzie Dern via second-round TKO (punches, 3:15).
UFC 295 LIVE: Jessica Andrade vs Mackenzie Dern
Round 2
The pattern from Round 1 continues: Dern is landing in flurries, but Andrade’s counters – while fewer – are more powerful.
Decent counter left hook by Andrade, and Dern disengages. She comes back with a few straight shots, but they don’t really faze Andrade.
OH! Andrade catches Dern and drops her! She beckons Dern back to her feet, and pours on more punches! Dern is just winging shots with her chin hanging out... She’s so exposed.
She lands a few more clean, straight punches, though! But again, it’s Andrade with the power advantage, and it only takes one punch to drop Dern again!
Once more Andrade beckons Dern to her feet, before dropping her one more time! And the fight is waved off, rightly so.
UFC 295 LIVE: Jessica Andrade vs Mackenzie Dern
Round 1
Dern kicks low and looks to fight behind the jab. Now a front kick and step-in jab, which irks Andrade.
Dern with a body-lock takedown now, but Andrade scrambles and stands. Andrade catches a kick, pushes back Dern and just misses with a left hook.
Andrade with a one-two upstairs, and although it’s out of range, it sets up a low kick. Again the Brazilian kicks low, harder this time.
Dern misses with a wild one-two but lands the subsequent left hand. Andrade is pressing forward now. Dern bursts forward with another couple of wild shots. They don’t land, and her chin is dangerously high...
Dern does land with her next entry, though, but she’s clipped by a counter punch and drops to a knee! Both women are landing now, and again Dern’s chin is so high...
She goes for a single-leg takedown from range, but Andrade defends it well.
OH! A right hook drops Dern in the final seconds of the round!!
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