Tag: UFC 295

Tom Aspinall relishes UFC 295 interim title fight vs. ‘most dangerous guy’ Sergei Pavlovich on short notice

Tom Aspinall won’t be making any excuses about his short-notice UFC 295 interim title fight however it goes. “No, I’m f*cking coming to win,” he says.

[autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] 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 [autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag] 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.

Social media reacts to Jon Jones injury, Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tom Aspinall for interim title at UFC 295

The MMA community had a plethora of thoughts on Jon Jones injury and the introduction of an interim heavyweight championship at UFC 295.

The UFC’s 30th anniversary event took a devastating hit on Saturday when it was announced [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] had suffered a serious injury that will remove him from his heavyweight title defense against [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] at UFC 295.

Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) sustained a torn pectoral muscle in training less than three weeks from the event, forcing him out of the Nov. 11 contest vs. Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) at Madison Square Garden in New York. As a result, an interim belt will be introduced as [autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) will take on [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] (13-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC).

The stunning turn of events yielded a plethora of reactions from the MMA community, and you can check out the top social media posts on the situation below.

Injured Jon Jones out of UFC 295 vs. Stipe Miocic; Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tom Aspinall interim title fight set

The UFC 295 main event between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic is off, and an interim heavyweight title fight is in place.

One of the most anticipated UFC fights in recent memory is no longer happening.

Heavyweight champion [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] is out of his UFC 295 title fight against all-time great [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] after he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in training that will sideline him for eight months, UFC CEO Dana White announced late Tuesday night. White’s announcement on social media included video of the incident.

With Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) out, Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) will not remain on the card for undisclosed reasons. As a result, top contenders [autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag] and [autotag]Tom Aspinall[/autotag] will compete for the interim championship in the Nov. 11 co-main event at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The vacant light heavyweight title fight between Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira has been elevated to headline UFC 295.

Pavlovich (18-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) rides a six-fight winning streak into the matchup. Since a loss to Alistair Overeem in his UFC debut, Pavlovich has rattled off wins over Marcelo Golm, Maurice Greene, Shamil Abdurakhimov, Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa, and Curtis Blaydes. All six wins were first-round knockouts.

Aspinall (13-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) bounced back from a devastating 2022 knee injury when he finished Marcin Tybura with strikes in 73 seconds this past July. The win maintained his 100 percent promotional finishing rate in victories.

With the changes, the UFC 295 lineup includes:

  • Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka – for vacant light heavyweight title
  • Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tom Aspinall – for interim heavyweight title
  • Jessica Andrade vs. Mackenzie Dern
  • Diego Lopes vs. Pat Sabatini
  • Matt Frevola vs. Benoit Saint Denis
  • Kevin Borjas vs. Joshua Van
  • Stephen Erceg vs. Matt Schnell
  • Loopy Godinez vs. Tabatha Ricci
  • Jared Gordon vs. Mark Madsen
  • Nurullo Aliev vs. Mateusz Rebecki
  • Viacheslav Borshchev vs. Nazim Sadykhov
  • Dennis Buzukja vs. Jamall Emmers
  • John Castaneda vs. Kyung Ho Kang

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

Jon Jones after UFC-USADA split: ‘I’ve never cheated this sport and I will stand by that until the day I die’

With the UFC no longer working with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Jon Jones wants one of his wins back.

With the announcement the UFC no longer will partner with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] wants one of his wins back.

On Wednesday, USADA CEO Travis Tygart revealed the anti-doping partnership with the UFC will conclude Jan. 1, 2024, ending a near decade-long relationship.

UFC heavyweight champion Jones’ (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) career was surrounded with controversy during his light heavyweight title reign. He twice was stripped of his title for failing drug tests around title fights with Daniel Cormier.

Jones’ second win over Cormier at UFC 214 was overturned to a no contest when he tested positive for the anabolic steroid turinabol. His sentence was significantly reduced from four years after he provided “substantial assistance” to USADA. As a result, he received a 15-month sentence. Jones said he did not knowingly take any prohibited substances and that the substances he consumed were tainted. He wants his knockout finish over Cormier turned back to a win.

“Man I survived USADA. First they said I was guilty of having picograms, then they considered me innocent, next picograms became legal. Guess what I’m still here, still unbeaten. That BS no contest over DC needs to be taken off my record. I’ve never cheated this sport and I will stand by that until the Day I die. 🐐.”

Jones failed a drug test a for a third time when he tested positive for the same turinabol metabolites prior to his UFC 232 rematch with Alexander Gustafsson. However, USADA determined they were trace amounts in the form of picograms incapable of giving Jones a competitive advantage.

In a later deleted tweet, Jones wanted to clarify that his lifestyle choices have nothing to do with the accusation that he’s a steroid cheat.

“Yeah, I became the youngest champion in the sport’s history. Probably the youngest millionaire in the sport’s history. Unfortunately, I didn’t handle it correctly and became a bit of a party boy. Definitely doesn’t qualify me to be a steroid cheat. You know nothing about being a star athlete.”

Jones defends his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in the UFC 295 headliner Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

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

Gordon Ryan explains involvement in Jon Jones’ UFC 295 camp ahead of Stipe Miocic title defense

How big of a role has Gordon Ryan played in Jon Jones’ camp ahead of UFC 295?

The link-up between [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] and [autotag]Gordon Ryan[/autotag] ahead of UFC 295 has many people talking. But how big of a role has he played in Jones’ training camp?

Ryan, a jiu-jitsu black belt and a multiple-time grappling world champion, has been training with Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) ahead of defending his UFC heavyweight belt against Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in the main event of UFC 295 on Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden. Ryan clarified that he’s not a full-time coach for Jones, but he has been involved in the preparation – one Jones is very keen on.

“I’m not a coach. I’m not a full-time coach,” Ryan said in an interview on “Morning Kombat.” “When I go there, I go there to train him obviously just so he feels what it is like to train with good grapplers, but most of what I do, especially with his training regimen, is teaching.

“I’ll coach him, and he kind of learns differently than everyone else. It’s not like, ‘Hey, let’s work on this.’ His brain kind of fires from movement to movement. It’s not like, ‘Oh hey, let’s work on D’Arces the whole time and after D’Arces then we move on to something else. It’s like, ‘Hey, teach me a D’Arce. Now the turtle question. Now I have a guard question.’ So we kind of just bounce from situation to situation, and that’s how he learns best. So I just come in and if I feel like there’s something he needs to do then I’ll tell him we’re working on this today, but for the most part, I just let him run the practice and creatively have him run through what he wants to learn. He just gives me a general idea and direction, and I just run with that.

“I teach him most of the time that we’re there, and then we do some hand fighting, some wrestling, some groundwork, so he feels at different pieces what it is like. But most of what I do is that I’m there to teach him and to improve upon skill and knowledge.”

The partnership with Jones and Ryan has many thinking. Miocic is not a specialist in grappling, which had many people question Ryan’s involvement.

Ryan understands this criticism but regardless of who Jones is facing, he feels this is just part of the constant search of evolution for an all-time great.

“Stipe, there’s nothing really special that he does as an MMA grappler,” Ryan said. “He’s not bad, but it’s not like he has an amazing ability to hip heist up or an amazing triangle or armbar, or if he gets a mount on you, you can’t get out. He’s kind of just a good, generic, all-around guy. Obviously Jon studies a lot of tape on him, as well. I think Jon at this point is just interested in doing things to improve as an athlete himself. If there was one thing I saw that Stipe did that was dangerous to Jon or would give Jon problems, then I would force Jon to be in those positions. Stipe is not known as a super dangerous grappler. I think Jon is just trying to improve as an athlete.”

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

Cain Velasquez: Jon Jones ‘mentally the strongest competitor,’ but Stipe Miocic brings so many threats

Cain Velasquez finds it hard to pick against Jon Jones, but isn’t counting Stipe Miocic out.

[autotag]Cain Velasquez[/autotag] finds it hard to pick against [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag], but isn’t counting [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] out.

Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) challenges heavyweight champion Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) in the UFC 295 headliner Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Velasquez praised Jones for his unbreakable mind, but thinks Miocic is well-rounded enough to pose a threat.

“I mean, Jon Jones: the greatest ever. The greatest ever that you’re ever going to see – especially somebody at that weight class, 205, and now heavyweight,” Velasquez told The Schmo. “Obviously a complete fighter, mentally the strongest competitor that you’re going to face out there, but there is always that puncher’s chance. There’s always that maybe chance.

“That’s what continues to bring interest in the fights. Stipe, the greatest heavyweight out there, arguably. He brings so many threats to Jon Jones. Obviously, your gut will tell you that Jon Jones may come out of this on top. But there’s always that maybe, and Stipe’s one of those guys that can bring out that big maybe in this fight.”

The oddsmakers aren’t favoring Miocic to dethrone Jones. According to DraftKings, Miocic is a +310 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the former two-time heavyweight champion would net a $310 profit. Jones is a -395 favorite, meaning a $395 bet would be needed on the champion to return $100 profit.

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

Booked for UFC 295, Loopy Godinez expected clash vs. Tabatha Ricci: ‘Eventually I was going to fight her’

Loopy Godinez had a feeling she was going to eventually fight Tabatha Ricci.

Sooner or later, [autotag]Loopy Godinez[/autotag] knew she was going to cross paths with [autotag]Tabatha Ricci[/autotag]. As expected, the two were paired to fight on Nov. 11 at UFC 295, which takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Godinez (10-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) knew this day would come, as the pair have rose through the ranks on a similar timeline. From fighting in the regional scene to now being in the UFC’s official strawweight rankings, both Godinez and Ricci (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) show plenty of promise.

“When she got in the rankings, I figured we were going to fight someday,” Godinez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “Actually, before I was fighting in the UFC, and I was at LFA, she was also at LFA, so there could’ve even been a possibility where I fought her before the UFC. But anyway, I got in the UFC, then after she joined, and I did think that eventually I was going to fight her.”

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The Lobo Gym product is currently on a three-fight wining streak and 5-1 in her past six UFC appearances. She’s coming off a dominant showing against Elise Reed at Noche UFC on Sept. 16, where she got a submission victory along with a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

Godinez sees Ricci as a formidable challenge and a great next step for her career. She believes fight fans will be in for a treat.

“She’s very complete,” Godinez said. “She has ground game. She has wrestling and judo. She’s got good hands. I think it’s going to be a cool fight because it’s going to have a little of everything.

“She has her strengths, but so do I with my wrestling and jiu-jitsu. I also did judo and my hands are getting better. We’re going to shine that night.”

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

Stipe Miocic ‘still having fun,’ explains motivation to fight Jon Jones at UFC 295 after career-long layoff

It’s been two-and-a-half years since Stipe Miocic last competed in the UFC, so why come back now at this late stage of his career?

It’s been two-and-a-half years since [autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] last fought inside the octagon and if he’d never competed again, to many observers, he’d be the greatest UFC heavyweight of all time.

But the way his last fight ended – folded by one Francis Ngannou punch to lose his title in March 2021 – wasn’t the best way to end a Hall of Fame career.

And so Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) is coming back, and his return is on the horizon at UFC 295 where he’ll challenge heavyweight champion Jon Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) in the night’s headliner at Madison Square Garden in New York. For a man who’s been involved in plenty of big fights, this is the biggest of Miocic’s career.

At 41, he didn’t have to return to solidify his legacy. Given it’s his longest layoff at this late stage of his career, why come back now?

“There’s a lot of reasons,” Miocic told MMA Junkie Radio. “One, I want to fight the best. I’m a competitor. I love to compete, and I love fighting. I’m still having fun.

“Two, my last fight didn’t go as well as I wanted it to. I’m ready to bounce back and get that win.”

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Jones, also a former two-time light heavyweight champion, doesn’t truly have a loss on his record during his illustrious 15-year career against a who’s who of opponents. Jones made things look easy in his heavyweight debut this past March when he submitted Ciryl Gane in two minutes to claim the title vacated by Ngannou.

If Miocic can pull off the upset (he’s around a 3-to-1 underdog), perhaps then he could ride off into the sunset as the undisputed heavyweight GOAT.

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

Stipe Miocic says Jon Jones hasn’t felt heavyweight power yet: ‘With small gloves, anything can happen’

Ahead of their UFC 295 heavyweight title fight, Stipe Miocic warns Jon Jones that power is different in his new weight class.

[autotag]Stipe Miocic[/autotag] warns [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] that power is different at heavyweight.

Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) challenges heavyweight champion Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) in the UFC 295 headliner Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Jones reigned over the UFC’s light heavyweight division for almost a decade before he decided to relinquish his belt and challenge himself at heavyweight. He only absorbed seven total strikes in his submission win over Ciryl Gane to capture the vacant belt, but Miocic says heavyweight will be a different story once he properly experiences it.

“Power, there’s no question,” Miocic told MMA Junkie Radio. “You’ve got a big man in there throwing bombs. It doesn’t matter if you throw hard or not. All that weight behind a punch with small gloves, anything can happen.”

Two-time UFC champion Miocic widely is considered by many to be the greatest heavyweight of all time. He holds the record for consecutive UFC heavyweight title defenses with three. At 41, what’s the motivation to keep fighting? Miocic says his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou left a sour taste in his mouth.

“There’s a lot of reasons: One, I want to fight the best,” Miocic said. “I’m a competitor. I love to compete and I love fighting. I’m still having fun. My last fight didn’t go as well as I wanted it to. I’m ready to bounce back and get that win.”

Although he didn’t get to see much, Miocic says Jones’ win over Gane proved he also still has the drive to compete.

“He’s there to win,” Miocic said. “He’s a fighter. He’s one of the best of all time so, he’s going to be ready to go.”

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

Video: What’s the best of the bunch of the UFC’s newly announced Q4 title fights?

There will be no shortage of critical fights for the UFC in the final couple months of the calendar year.

There will be no shortage of critical fights for the UFC in the final couple months of the calendar year.

The promotion this past week announced a trio of new title bouts, one of which will join the heavyweight championship bout at UFC 295. The others are set for UFC 296, which will be the UFC’s final event of 2023.

Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic headlines the promotion’s UFC 295 30th anniversary event at Madison Square Garden, and now will be joined by [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] (29-3-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) vs. [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (8-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) for the vacant light heavyweight title. The card takes place Nov. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Prochazka vacated the title in November 2022 due to an injury. Pereira, a former middleweight champion, will try to add his name to the list of two-division UFC titleholders.

At UFC 296 on Dec. 16 in Las Vegas, [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) will attempt the second defense of his welterweight title reign when he meets former interim champ [autotag]Colby Covington[/autotag] (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC). The UFC 296 co-main event is a flyweight title fight between champion [autotag]Alexandre Pantoja[/autotag] (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC).

Of those three fights, which appear to be fairly close and competitive on paper and from a betting perspective, what’s the one that is the best of the bunch? MMA Junkie’s “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Matthew Wells, Nolan King and Danny Segura joined host Mike Bohn to break it all down.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s full “Spinning Back Clique” episode below.