Tom Aspinall to fight Sergei Pavlovich for interim heavyweight title after Jon Jones injury

Tom Aspinall is set to compete against Sergei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight title at UFC 295 following an injury to champion Jon Jones.

In a training accident on Tuesday, Jones, 36, sustained injuries that forced him to withdraw from his scheduled title defense against Stipe Miocic.

Aspinall, a British fighter, will become the first Englishman to vie for an interim UFC heavyweight title.

UFC 295, taking place in New York, will now feature Jiri Prochazka versus Alex Pereira for the vacant light heavyweight title as the main event.

Prochazka, from the Czech Republic, will face Brazil’s Pereira in his comeback fight after being sidelined due to a shoulder injury that cost him the title last year.

The 31-year-old Prochazka, who last fought in June 2022, will go up against former middleweight champion Pereira at Madison Square Garden.

Pavlovich, who was on standby as a replacement fighter for the main event, will now take on the challenge as the co-main event.

The Russian fighter, 31, boasts a six-fight winning streak, with all victories produced by first-round knockouts.

Although the interim title does not hold the same prestige as a full UFC title, Aspinall’s triumph would make him part of a select group of British fighters who have won UFC belts.

Currently, Michael Bisping (middleweight) and Leon Edwards (welterweight) are the only two British fighters to have achieved this feat.

If Aspinall can defeat Pavlovich, it is likely that he will face Jones in an undisputed fight upon the latter’s return from injury.

UFC president Dana White stated that Jones would require a minimum of eight months to recover from his injuries.

“Last night during training, Jon Jones sustained a severe injury while wrestling, tearing the tendon that connects the pec to the bone,” said White.

“He will be out of action for at least eight months and will need surgery to address the injury.”