In the world of mixed martial arts, it appears that Sergei Pavlovich is taking his recent failed bid for an interim heavyweight title against Tom Aspinall in stride. Pavlovich and Aspinall were hastily arranged to co-headline UFC 295 at the noteworthy Madison Square Garden. This was a last-minute decision, made after the originally planned main event bout between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic fell through. While Pavlovich was also selected as a potential backup for the canceled Jones Vs. Miocic game, some suggested this positioned him with a slight advantage over Aspinall.
Despite any potential advantage, Aspinall quickly overcame Pavlovich, bringing him to his defeat just 69 seconds into their fight and, consequently, securing his position as the interim UFC heavyweight champion. This abrupt loss marked a decisive end to Pavlovich’s powerful six-fight string of first-round knockout victories, a striking blow to the acclaimed Russian fighter.
Since the fight, Pavlovich has taken to Telegram to release an official statement addressing his defeat and providing a health update. Displaying commendable sportsmanship, the 31-year-old fighter appears to be taking the aftermath of his first failed gold bid well. In his statement, he reassures his followers of his health, saying, “I didn’t suffer any damage to my health, I’m fine”. He acknowledges Aspinall’s superior performance, attributing the fast victory to his opponent’s speed and accuracy. Undeterred by this setback, Pavlovich vows to return to the cage soon with ambitions to again fight for the belt, expressing gratitude for his supporters.