Tom Aspinall knew something big was happening the moment he received a phone Tuesday from “one of the highest-up people in the UFC” who never calls him. The person called inquiring if he could be ready to fight in just under two weeks at UFC 295.
Then at 4 a.m. on Wednesday, Aspinall got the call: With heavyweight champion Jon Jones injured and forced out of his fight with Stipe Miocic, the offer was for Aspinall to face fellow top contender Sergei Pavlovich for the interim title in the UFC 295 co-main event Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden.
Of course he said yes.
“Got the old middle-of-the-night phone call,” Aspinall told The MacLife. “And they were like, ‘Oh, sorry, I’ll be quick. Just get some sleep.’ I’m like, ‘How the f*ck 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.”
It might not be exactly how Aspinall drew it up, but this is the golden opportunity the British standout has desired ever since joining the UFC in July 2020. Since then, Aspinall has been on a tear going 6-1 with six finishes and his only defeat the result of a freak accident in which he blew out his knee 15 seconds into a July 2022 UFC Fight Night headliner vs. Curtis Blaydes.
Aspinall returned from that devastating injury after a year-long layoff this past July when he dismantled Marcin Tybura for a TKO win just 73 seconds into their UFC Fight Night 224 headliner.
Coming off that victory, Aspinall (13-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) believes he is now facing “the most dangerous guy in the UFC” as Pavlovich (18-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) has a first-round knockout in each of his past six fights, most recently against Blaydes in April.
“I think that Pavlovich is the most dangerous to be honest. I think he’s the most dangerous guy in the UFC,” Aspinall said. “To be honest, it’s f*cking the most dangerous situation you can have – fighting the most dangerous guy in the UFC on two weeks’ notice. But I’m willing to put it all on the line. This is my absolute dream.
“F*cking I’m doing a (Michael) Bisping, aren’t I? Bisping took it on two weeks’ notice. Bisping did it on two weeks’ notice and won against (Luke) Rockhold (at UFC 199), so why can’t I do it?”
While two weeks’ notice for his first shot at UFC gold is less than ideal, Aspinall said he won’t be coming off the couch. He’s been in the gym training. And while he wishes he had more than two weeks to specifically prepare for Pavlovich, Aspinall has no problem with the situation he’s facing.
“I’m a dedicated guy. I’m in the gym anyway,” Aspinall said. “I would’ve liked longer than two weeks, you know what I mean, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I’ll be ready, no excuses. I’ll be ready to go, and I’m coming to win. I’m not coming to make any excuses or anything like that. The narrative of this fight isn’t gonna be I’ve taken the fight on two weeks’ notice. No, I’m f*cking coming to win.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.
