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: Mateusz Rebecki vs Roosevelt Roberts
More lightweight action next, as Mateusz Rebecki faces Roosevelt Roberts.
UFC 295 LIVE: Nazim Sadykhov vs Viacheslav Borshchev
Nazim Sadykhov and Viacheslav Borshchev fight to majority draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28).
A fair result, and speaking of results, here’s your rundown of the early-prelim results:
Jared Gordon def. Mark Madsen via first-round TKO (4:42)
John Castaneda def. Kyung Ho Kang via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Joshua Van def. Kevin Borjas via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Jamall Emmers def. Dennis Buzukja via first-round TKO (0:49)
UFC 295 LIVE: Nazim Sadykhov vs Viacheslav Borshchev
Round 3
Sadykhov secures a takedown early in this final round, but Borshchev is able to stand with relative ease.
Nice body shots from both lightweights, including a knee from Sadykhov, who eventually slips under a jab and lifts Borshchev with a double-leg.
He completes the takedown, but again Borshchev does well to stand and get back to his bread and butter: mixing kicks and punches to the head and body of Sadykhov.
Borshchev is getting the better of these exchanges, and he actually could be on course to secure a draw here, after a good first round but a second round that was clearly Sadykhov’s...
Lovely drive double-leg by Sadykhov late in the round, but Borshchev stands one more time.
UFC 295 LIVE: Nazim Sadykhov vs Viacheslav Borshchev
Round 2
Beautiful head movement from Borshchev, who also flits in and out of range nicely, showing off his kickboxing pedigree with some clean shots to the head and body.
Borshchev kicks to the body, and Sadykhov returns fire with a hook to the body.
OH! But against the run of the action, Sadykhov wobbles Borshchev with a hook upstairs! He follows up with a clean head kick, which drops Borshchev! The NYC crowd has come to life!
Sadykhov follows his opponent to the mat, but Borshchev is cognisant enough to get closed guard. He’s been cut open to his forehead, however... It looks like an elbow did the damage!
The fighters scramble and stand, and Sadykhov is stalking Borshchev now...
Sadykhov gets a takedown, but Borshchev makes it to the buzzer!
UFC 295 LIVE: Nazim Sadykhov vs Viacheslav Borshchev
Round 1
Sadykhov and Borshchev both stand southpaw. Lots of feints from Sadykhov early on, while Borshchev kicks low.
Sadykhov gets ahold of his fellow lightweight and forces him to the fence, landing a good knee to the body before Borshchev gets free and circles away.
Slick left hook to the head then an uppercut to the body by Borshchev, who then kicks Sadykhov’s lead leg out from under him twice.
Again Sadykhov drops to the mat after a low kick from Borshchev. Clean left hook up top by Borshchev, who’s had a great first round.
UFC 295 LIVE: Nazim Sadykhov vs Viacheslav Borshchev
We kick things off with a lightweight bout between Nazim Sadykhov and Viacheslav Borshchev.
UFC 295 LIVE: Regular prelims moments away!
Right, then! It’s time for the regular prelims – and with them, our round-by-round fight updates!
UFC 295 LIVE: McGregor, Diaz and Lesnar paydays revealed
And in OTHER news this week(!)...
Numerous fight purses for Conor McGregor and other major UFC stars have been revealed amid an antitrust lawsuit against the MMA promotion.
An antitrust case is a lawsuit concerning claims of anti-competitive business practices – the likes of which can lead to unfair competition and price fixing, among other issues. The lawsuit against the UFC was initiated in 2014, with ex-UFC fighters Jon Fitch and Cung Le among the plaintiffs, and it became a class-action lawsuit earlier this year. The case covers any fighter who competed in the organisation between 16 December 2010 and 30 June 2017.
A judge has now pushed for various records relating to the case to be unsealed, and that has led to the revelation of numerous fighter payouts. Journalists at Bloody Elbow were able to access some of the unsealed documents, including an “Internal Zuffa Bout Compensation” report.
The document contained details of fighter compensation, including disclosed and undisclosed payments, as well as information on side letters – agreements separate from the main contract – and bonuses.
The report did not name fighters, but its details enabled journalists to discern which fighter was which – including McGregor, Nate Diaz, Ronda Rousey, Brock Lesnar and others.
Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz and Brock Lesnar paydays revealed amid UFC lawsuit
An antitrust lawsuit has seen a push for certain records to be unsealed
UFC 295 LIVE: Major news about UFC in 2024
In other news this week...
The UFC has announced its first three pay-per-view main events of 2024, with the middleweight title and men’s featherweight and bantamweight belts set to be contested.
In the main event of UFC 297 in January, Sean Strickland is set to defend the middleweight title against Dricus Du Plessis. At UFC 298 in February, Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight belt against Ilia Topuria. And in March, Sean O’Malley puts his bantamweight gold on the line against Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299.
Conor McGregor’s long-awaited return to the Octagon is then rumoured to take place at UFC 300 in April.
More here:
UFC announces three major title fights will kick off 2024
The middleweight title will be on the line, as will the men’s featherweight and bantamweight belts
UFC 295 LIVE: Jon Jones apologises to Stipe Miocic after fight cancellation
Here’s what Jon Jones had to say after his fight with Stipe Miocic was cancelled:
“Thank you to everybody who’s checked in with me to see how I was feeling. Obviously a very sad situation, very upset, but I’ve been through a lot of things in life, and injuries is a part of being an athlete.
“I want to thank the UFC for getting me into one of the best doctors in the country, Dr Neal ElAttrache. Thank you to Dr Neal ElAttrache and his staff members over here in California for seeing me so quick. I wanted to say thank you to Stipe Miocic for all the work that he’s put in. Also, sorry to Stipe and his team. This comes with the territory.
“Thank you to all my coaches and training partners, everyone who has helped me get this far – can’t even say to the fight, but the goal is to get surgery tomorrow and get back to work as soon as possible. I guess it’ll be Stipe and I at a later date, and that’s my plan.”
More from Jones here:
UFC icon Jon Jones breaks silence on injury as surgery looms
The heavyweight champion was due to defend his belt against divisional great Miocic on 11 November, but he will instead face months of rehab on a shoulder injury
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