Thrust into the new co-main slot for UFC 295 next month after news of reigning champion Jon Jones’ serious injury surfaced overnight, the #4 ranked heavyweight will look to win interim gold vs. a dangerous opponent in Sergei Pavlovich on November 11. All things considered, taking the chance without ample preparation time is brave but hasn’t aged well for many of late…
Short-notice showings have their drawbacks
Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski dared to be great after Charles Oliveira’s sudden injury and ate a fight-ending head kick knockout defeat for his troubles in the heavily-anticipated Islam Makhachev rematch last weekend. I’ll take a dive into reviewing that card and what’s to come early next week.
Elsewhere at UFC 294: former long-reigning welterweight champion Kamaru Usman was left wondering what might’ve been after 15 minutes’ action, had he been given the extra two rounds that had become the norm over the past half-decade against a hungry and oversized adversary in Khamzat Chimaev on his middleweight debut.
Some thought he did enough to win, perhaps a draw, but the judges’ scorecards read another majority decision defeat for a man now questioning himself after a third consecutive loss – this one in a new division, his old one a thing of the past right now.
Both game competitors were heralded for saving the day on short-notice in challenges neither was expected to win, but now face immediate uncertainty at a time where the back end of their fighting careers need stability.
Volkanovski may be mentally and physically scarred after his first stoppage loss in a decade, while Usman has been battling demons and confidence issues with taking risks in stand-up exchanges ever since the Leon Edwards rematch last August.
So the whole point of said anecdote is simple: Salford’s Tom Aspinall has a similarly stern test on short-notice in just under two weeks’ time at UFC 295 against Sergei Pavlovich in a co-main event that no-one was expecting. Two championship fights, one for a vacant belt and another where an interim strap will be on the line.
Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic, even at this late stage of their respective careers, was a matchup packed with intrigue and anticipation. The former’s torn pectoral muscle injury means a 2024 rescheduling is hopeful, rather than guaranteed but such is life.
Aspinall said he received a phone call Tuesday from one of the promotion’s higher-ups and it was unusual. Would he be ready to fight in less than two weeks’ time?
Covering their bases and assessing options as Jones warily waited for the medical scans from his serious injury, he got the middle-of-the-night phone call and didn’t hesitate to answer yes. Given his Ciryl Gane callout, you wouldn’t expect any less.
“They were like, ‘Oh, sorry, I’ll be quick. Just get some sleep.’ I’m like, ‘How the fuck am I supposed to sleep after you just told me I’m fighting for the heavyweight title?’ Like, I can’t go back to sleep.
I think he [Pavlovich] is the most dangerous guy in the UFC but I’m willing to put it all on the line – this is my absolute dream. I’m doing a [Michael] Bisping, aren’t I?
Bisping took it on two weeks’ notice and won against [Luke] Rockhold, so why can’t I? I’m a dedicated guy, in the gym anyway, I’ll be ready – no excuses – and I’m coming to win. The narrative of this fight isn’t gonna be I’ve taken it on two weeks’ notice.”
We’ll wait and see how it unfolds, but Pavlovich’s recent winning streak has provided the Russian with a sense of overwhelming danger for opponents that no-one else in the division can match – not even a healthy Jones given his experience.
UFC 295 card, is as follows
UFC 295, Nov. 11 at New York’s Madison Square Garden
Main card and prelims running order TBC
Vacant light-heavyweight title: Jiri Prochazka [1] vs. Alex Pereira [2]
Interim heavyweight title: Sergei Pavlovich [1] vs. Tom Aspinall [4]
Featherweight: Diego Lopes vs. Pat Sabatini
Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern [7] vs. Jessica Andrade [5]
Lightweight: Matt Frevola [14] vs. Benoit Saint-Denis
Flyweight: Matt Schnell vs. Steve Erceg
Women’s Strawweight: Tabatha Ricci [10] vs. Loopy Godinez [13]
Lightweight: Nazim Sadykhov vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
Lightweight: Mateusz Rebecki vs. Nurullo Aliev
Featherweight: Dennis Buzukja vs. Jamall Emmers
Lightweight: Jared Gordon vs. Mark Madsen
Bantamweight: John Castaneda vs. Kang Kyung-ho
Flyweight: Joshua Van vs. Kevin Borjas
Picture source: Getty Images
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