Sergei Pavlovich releases statement addressing brutal knockout loss to Tom Aspinall at UFC 295

Sergei Pavlovich experienced a setback in his quest for a piece of the UFC’s heavyweight title, but he seems to be handling his loss with grace.

In the UFC 295 co-feature at Madison Square Garden in New York, Pavlovich (18-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) challenged Tom Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) for the interim heavyweight title. The clash between the two formidable heavyweights promised an intense conclusion. Unfortunately for Pavlovich, he was on the receiving end of a brutal first-round knockout.

Pavlochich did not make an appearance at the post-fight news conference on Saturday, but released a statement on social media the following day expressing his thoughts on the fight and assuring his fans that he is in good physical condition.

“I didn’t suffer any damage to my health, I’m fine,” Pavlovich wrote on Telegram (translated by Google). “Tom turned out to be faster, and I was unlucky to hit him right away, but he turned out to be more accurate. Decided to take one hit.

“I’ll be back in the cage soon, I want to be active and perform so I can have a chance to fight for the belt again. This is my goal and we will get there! I see your support, thank you all!”

Pavlovich also shared a post on Instagram, continuing to express gratitude to his fans while pledging to come back stronger.

The outcome against Aspinall marked the end of a six-fight winning streak for Pavlovich. The 31-year-old Russian heavyweight finished every opponent in the first round during that run, culminating in an opportunity to compete for the interim title. Following just the second loss of his professional career, Pavlovich is now looking to carve out a new path to UFC gold.

For more information on the event, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie