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: Tom Aspinall admits he is ‘scared’ about Sergei Pavlovich fight
“I’m pretty scared, but I do my best work scared,” Aspinall said earlier this week, discussing his clash with Pavlovich.
“He’s a scary, intimidating guy. But fear is something I have a really good relationship with. It gives me a superpower – the more scared I am, the better I do in the fight.
“I’m the ‘Honey Badger’ moving forward, so I’m happy with that. That’s cool.”
The honey badger, also known as the ratel, is a mammal that resides in Africa and Asia, and is known for its ferocity in the face of attack from larger predators.
A number of sportspeople have previously adopted the nickname, including Australian rugby player Nick Cummins and NFL star Tyrann Mathieu.
More from Aspinall on his ‘scared’ mindset:
Tom Aspinall admits he’s ‘scared’ ahead of UFC title fight
The British heavyweight is set to take on Russia’s Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295
UFC 295 LIVE: Tom Aspinall makes vow for Sergei Pavlovich fight
Tom Aspinall has vowed that “someone is getting finished” in his fight with Sergei Pavlovich tonight, when the pair clash for the interim UFC heavyweight title.
Aspinall will bid to become Britain’s third ever UFC champion when he faces Pavlovich in the co-main event of UFC 295. The bout with the Russian was arranged after the original main event, between heavyweight champion Jon Jones and divisional great Stipe Miocic, was cancelled when Jones suffered an injury.
Ahead of UFC 295, Aspinall spoke to Britain’s first UFC champion Michael Bisping, who noted the similarities between the 30-year-old’s record and that of Pavlovich, 31.
Here’s what Aspinall had to say in response:
Tom Aspinall makes UFC 295 vow ahead of Sergei Pavlovich fight
The Briton faces the Russian for the interim heavyweight title at Madison Square Garden on Saturday
UFC 295 LIVE: Full fight card tonight (subject to late changes!)
Main card
Jiri Prochazka vs Alex Pereira (vacant light-heavyweight title)
Sergei Pavlovich vs Tom Aspinall (interim heavyweight title)
Jessica Andrade vs Mackenzie Dern (women’s strawweight)
Matt Frevola vs Benoit Saint-Denis (lightweight)
Diego Lopes vs Pat Sabatini (featherweight)
Prelims
Steve Erceg vs Alessandro Costa (flyweight)
Tabatha Ricci vs Loopy Godinez (women’s strawweight)
Mateusz Rebecki vs Roosevelt Roberts (lightweight)
Nadim Sadykhov vs Viacheslav Borschchev (lightweight)
Early prelims
Jared Gordon vs Mark Madsen (lightweight)
John Castaneda vs Kyung Ho Kang (bantamweight)
Joshua Van vs Kevin Borjas (flyweight)
Dennis Buzukja vs Jamall Emmers (featherweight)
UFC 295 card in full with two titles on the line
All you need to know as two title fights top the card at Madison Square Garden in New York City
UFC 295 LIVE: How to watch online and on TV tonight
The card will air live on TNT Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.
How to watch UFC 295 online and on TV tonight
All you need to know as two title fights top the card at Madison Square Garden in New York City
UFC 295 LIVE: Prelim and main-card timings tonight
The early prelims have just begun, with the regular prelims due at 1am GMT (6pm PT, 8pm CT, 9pm ET). The main card is then scheduled for 3am GMT (8pm PT, 10pm CT, 11pm ET).
Our round-by-round fight updates will begin at 1am GMT, when the regular prelims begin. At that point, we’ll also provide a round-up of the early prelim results!
What time does UFC 295 start tonight?
All you need to know as two title fights top the card at Madison Square Garden in New York City
UFC 295 LIVE
UFC 295 will culminate in two title fights tonight as Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira clash for the vacant light-heavyweight belt, after Tom Aspinall faces Sergei Pavlovich for interim gold at heavyweight.
Prochazka relinquished the light-heavyweight title in 2022 after suffering an injury, and his successor Jamahal Hill succumbed to the same fate earlier this year. As such, the belt is vacant again, and Prochazka will bid to regain it from Pereira, who held the middleweight title from late 2022 until this spring.
In the co-main event, Aspinall goes up against Pavlovich in a meeting of quick finishers, as the heavyweights fight on short notice. The original main event of UFC 295 pitted heavyweight champ Jon Jones against divisional great Stipe Miocic, but an injury to Jones opened the door for Aspinall vs Pavlovich.
Britain’s Aspinall has sealed all of his UFC wins in the first two rounds, while Pavlovich has earned all of his UFC victories in the opening frame.
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