Tom Aspinall beat Sergei Pavlovich to grow to be the primary British heavyweight to win a UFC title, whereas Alex Pereira used a collection of elbows to Jiri Prochazka’s head to win the vacant mild heavyweight championship within the UFC 295 title fights at Madison Square Garden.
Aspinall knocked out Pavlovich within the first spherical for the interim heavyweight championship on Saturday night time in entrance of a packed crowd that included former President Donald Trump.
The interim title combat was a late addition to the cardboard after the scheduled most important occasion of Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic in a heavyweight title combat was known as off as a result of Jones tore a pectoral tendon off the bone throughout coaching.
While UFC waits for Jones to return, it’s Aspinall who now holds the gold.
“It’s been a crazy 2 1/2 weeks,” Aspinall mentioned.
His tearful celebration lasted longer than the combat. Aspinall wanted solely 69 seconds to earn his eleventh profession knockout win – he has made it to the second spherical simply as soon as in his eight UFC fights – after which collapsed in tears on the canvas.
Aspinall had landed consecutive rights to Pavlovich’s temple to ship the Russian crashing to the canvas.
“He’s a big, scary guy,” Aspinall mentioned. “I’ve never been as scared in my life as fighting this guy. But I’ve got a lot of power, too, and I believe in myself.”
Aspinall draped himself in opposition to the cage as followers roared for the brand new champ.
Pereira topped light-heavyweight champ
In the co-main occasion, Pereira gained his second UFC championship in simply his seventh combat for the promotion.
Brazil’s Pereira, who knocked out Israel Adesanya on November 12 final 12 months to win the middleweight belt earlier than shedding it in April in a rematch, had some early success with some vicious leg kicks, however Prochazka’s exact hanging posed an issue.
Prochazka had gained 13 straight blended martial arts (MMA) fights, together with his first three in UFC.
The 31-year-old Czech continued to modify stances and press ahead, however his aggression was finally punished when he was caught out by some exact counter-punches by Pereira that paved the Brazilian’s path to victory and the combat was stopped at 4:08 of the second spherical.
Pereira turned the ninth fighter in UFC historical past to win championships in two weight courses.
Pereira then used his post-fight interview to name on Adesanya to step as much as mild heavyweight and face him in a 3rd title combat, saying “Adesanya, come to daddy.”
The mild heavyweight division had been and not using a champion since Jamahal Hill relinquished the title in July after he was injured in a pickup basketball sport. Hill was on the Garden to look at the fights.
He wasn’t the one identify in the home.
Trump and musician Kid Rock have been greeted by cheers and “USA! USA!” chants as they walked to their cage-side seats forward of the beginning of the principle card. UFC President Dana White accompanied Trump and Kid Rock and watched the fights with them. Trump slapped arms with followers and mingled with guests.
Former UFC 115-pound champion Jessica Andrade snapped a three-fight shedding streak with a TKO win over MacKenzie Dern at 3:15 of the second spherical. Andrade turned the primary girl in UFC historical past to earn 4 knockdowns in a single combat and tied Amanda Nunes for many wins in UFC girls’s historical past with 16.
UFC has run a serious card in November at Madison Square Garden yearly (apart from 2020) since New York legalised MMA in time for a 2016 debut. Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre and Daniel Cormier all headlined pay-per-views at MSG and this one promised to maybe be the largest most important occasion but – Jones defending his heavyweight crown in opposition to Miocic.
Jones, on the quick listing of nice MMA fighters, tore a tendon throughout coaching final month and was compelled to withdraw. White then deemed an interim championship combat was beneath a fighter of Miocic’s stature. The two-time heavyweight champ, Miocic has not fought since March 2021.
The bout could possibly be rescheduled for as early as subsequent summer time, relying on Jones’s well being.
“That’s the fight they want, that’s the fight that makes sense, that’s the fight that should happen,” White mentioned.
Even with out the anticipated combat, there was motive for the corporate to have a good time with 19,039 followers and a $12.4m gate at MSG. UFC now holds the highest three spots for highest gate on the Garden. Also, Sunday marks 30 years for the reason that firm’s debut present, UFC 1.
UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie gained three fights that night time in Denver in a no-rules match that was simply the beginning for the billion-dollar firm owned by Endeavor that now stands as the worldwide chief in MMA.
UFC was constructed on personalities as a lot as nice fights and New York native and recovering drug addict Jared Gordon gave followers on the Garden a motive to cheer.
Gordon scored his first KO since 2017 when he beat 2016 Olympic silver medal wrestler Mark Madsen in a prelims bout. Gordon has been open about his drug points, overdoses and problem staying clear whereas pursuing a brutal MMA profession. He had a brand new motive to understand combating in New York.
“I used to shoot heroin in Penn Station underneath this building,” he mentioned. “Now I’m fighting in it and knocking guys out.”
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