Tom Aspinall made history at UFC 295 as he swiftly secured an impressive knockout against Sergei Pavlovich in the first round itself to win the Interim Heavyweight title. When Aspinall faced knockout specialist Sergei Pavlovich, the general consensus was that he would need to make it through the first round in order to win.
The championship match materialized abruptly owing to the untimely injury of the heavyweight champion Jon Jones. He had suffered from a torn pectoral muscle during his training sessions. So his scheduled bout against Stipe Miocic had to be called off, paving the way for Aspinall’s shot at the interim title.
Contrary to expectations, Aspinall defied the odds and turned the tables on Pavlovich. Aspinall secured a knockout victory in less than 90 seconds.
Overwhelmed with emotion after this remarkable feat, Aspinall expressed that he had realized his longtime dream of winning a title on the prestigious MMA arena.
While Aspinall’s emotional reaction was warranted given his attainment of the championship belt, former UFC double champ Henry Cejudo held a different opinion. Cejudo remarked that Aspinall’s happiness might have been excessive as it was merely an interim title, not the undisputed championship.
Cejudo stated on his YouTube channel: “Watching Tom Aspinall win the interim world title, he’s already celebrating. It’s an interim, Tom! Save those tears for when you actually win the real belt. Yeah, you got a trophy, but they might as well dip that thing in either silver or bronze because it’s not the real thing.”
While the UFC plans to arrange the Jones vs. Miocic encounter in the near future, Aspinall asserts his rightful place as the primary contender to challenge and potentially dethrone Jones.
Former UFC champion Henry Cejudo shares this sentiment and advocates for a showdown between Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones. He expressed his preference for this matchup over the anticipated Jones vs. Miocic matchup.
Cejudo said: “I personally think I like this fight better now for Jon Jones, and that’s Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones. I like that better than the Stipe fight.”
The prospect of facing Jon Jones adds an intriguing dimension to Aspinall’s future in the sport. Despite the uncertainty regarding the opportunity to confront Jones due to his injury, Tom Aspinall remains steadfast in his belief that he is the best active heavyweight in MMA.