On Sunday evening Moscow time, in New York, Russian Sergei Pavlovich will try to win the UFC interim heavyweight belt in a duel with Briton Tom Aspinall. And according to almost 100% of those interviewed by in the martial arts field, Pavlovich will be able to do it.
Pavlovich has 18 victories with his only defeat coming in his UFC debut against Alistair Overeem in November 2018. Then the Russian won six in a row, knocking out his opponents in the first round (the fight with Overeem also ended in the first five minutes). Aspinall’s record in the UFC also includes six victories and one defeat, which he suffered in the penultimate fight against Curtis Blaydes due to a leg injury at the very beginning of the match.
By the way, at the UFC 295 tournament there was supposed to be a fight between the organization’s full heavyweight champion Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic, and Pavlovich was a reserve in this confrontation. But just under three weeks before the event, Jones’ injury became known and the UFC announced an interim belt fight between Pavlovich and Aspinall.
“SEREGA FARTOVY!”
Let’s now move on to the predictions from ‘s interlocutors.
UFC heavyweight Alexander Volkov, who lost to Aspinall:
“It will all depend on Aspinall’s form. Sergei has an advantage in physical strength and punching power. Aspinall is faster, it acts in a more varied way, it is more technical. It will be a difficult fight for Sergei. Many predict he will win this fight, however, Aspinall needs to be taken more seriously. It’s good if the fight turns out to be easy.
Champion in two weight categories ONE Anatoly Malykhin:
“I can say one thing about this fight: this fight will definitely not come to a decision. I will support Seryoga with all my heart. He treated me so well back then. I remember I came into the room… And he treated me kindly. No matter who he’s fighting, I’ll always fill up the gas tank for him. He’s our boy. How can we even countenance the idea of drowning against our own?! Gray will “drop” him.
Vitaly Minakov, former Bellator heavyweight champion:
“Pavlovich had a great chance to win the title, albeit temporary, in the UFC heavyweight division. Seryoga is lucky (laughs)! I reached the title stage a little earlier than expected, but, I repeat, the chances are serious. He’s already had a great chance to start with Overeem, now here’s his second run. As for possible outcomes, Seryoga can eliminate any opponent.
Roman Kopylov, UFC middleweight:
— We support Sergei. We are waiting for the next belt to go to Russia. Seryoga is a great guy and a great fighter. It is very good that such fighters glorify our country. I think Sergey will extend his impressive streak to seven wins.
“RUSSIA WILL HAVE “THE BADEST MAN ON THE PLANET”
Kamil Gadzhiev, head of AMC Fight Nights:
— Seryoga must be as concentrated as possible and not let Aspinall breathe. Hit constantly. Create a threat. Aspinall was very good, very calm in the fight with Volkov. He’s a guy who’s good at tactics. Well, technically too. If he imposes his fighting style on Seryoga, then we won’t have to observe Aspinall’s domination on the ground over Pavlovich. In 2017, Seryoga struggled poorly on the field. Six years have passed and while Seryoga has improved on the ground, he can fight both Jones and Aspinall. If he hasn’t improved on the ground, then his only chance is to bombard him with his shots in order to simply prevent Tom from approaching. But for that you don’t just need to hit well, for that you need to be functionally ready and focused. Constantly hit.
ASA Heavyweight Champion Evgeniy Goncharov:
— It’s a fun fight for the spectators. And first of all, it’s a huge opportunity to become a UFC champion. I don’t see any opponents for him, I don’t see these guys who could beat him. A lot of people say Aspinall can do it. But I think he could hold out for a while. Pavlovich has such great punching power and good takedown defense. I don’t think Aspinall will last long – one or two rounds and Sergey will be done with him. And Russia will have a UFC heavyweight champion. In my opinion, Sergei will be here for a long time, he won’t lose to anyone. He is a talented and gifted guy who will make noise in the UFC for a long time. We are waiting for this fight. If you look at this matchup from the side of Stipe Miocic and Jon Jones…Miocic certainly won’t fight either Aspinall or Pavlovich. He definitely has nothing to catch there. And Jon Jones… Pavlovich is a very serious opponent for him and, most likely, Jon Jones will not be able to deal with Pavlovich, no matter how talented and good a fighter Jones is. In general, a new UFC champion will soon appear in Russia.
Former UFC heavyweight Alexei Oleynik:
– This is an interesting and cool fight. I really hope we get “the baddest man on the planet”. Mixed martial arts is considered a pretty brutal sport and the heavyweight champion is one of the most dangerous people on the planet. We will support Sergei and expect only victory from him.
You should never relax with Aspinall, he is a very clumsy guy, long, unconventional, athletic and very fast. In addition, he works in a good team, especially training with Cyril Gan. Since Gan didn’t get along with Sergey, another strong fighter from their team will now come out. Sergei must work collectively, not open up, but do his job.
Russian heavyweight Jeff Monson:
– I think Pavlovich will win. But I think the fight will be close. I don’t see an end to this fight. I think the fight will last the entire distance.
“IF THE FIGHT IS DELAYED, ASPINELL WILL BE THE FAVORITE”
Vitaly Slipenko, former ASA welterweight champion:
– It’s a very interesting fight. Pavlovich can eliminate his opponent again in the first round. Although Aspinall is a very interesting fighter, he is stand-up and has good grappling skills. But thanks to his power, Pavlovich can impose his own game. But no one in the UFC had seen Pavlovich in the later rounds. If that happens, it could be difficult for Sergei. I think Aspinall will have the following tactical plan to survive the onslaught and take Pavlovich to the later rounds.
Ivan Shtyrkov, light heavyweight:
– Sergey deserves this chance and this fight, he is on a great winning streak. Aspinall is a good fighter, but I think Pavlovich can beat him. If Sergei hits Tom like he does, it will be the end for Aspinall. The question is that Sergey has not gone beyond the first round in his fights for a long time, and what will happen when the distance exceeds half of the fight? Aspinella should not be underestimated, he is fast for a heavyweight and breathes very well. But I believe Pavlovich should have enough skill, power and skill to win this fight.
Middleweight Valery Myasnikov:
— Pavlovich vs. Aspinall is one of the coolest fights in the UFC in recent times, a true battle between two healthy men, which will determine the league’s interim champion. If I’m not mistaken, both fighters in the promotion only have one loss, which makes this fight even more interesting. I would also like to note the strange decision not to give Miocic a fight with one of these guys, but to let him wait for Jon Jones, which probably once again highlights the danger of Pavlovich and Aspinall for the current champion .
As for the forecasts, I am naturally for Seryoga. I hope nothing will stop him from adding another victory to his treasure tonight. We will monitor and support!
Head of the RCC Nikolai Klimenko:
“I think that Sergey has long deserved a fight for the belt; he has said more than once that he is ready to support the Jones-Miocic pair. This chance has come, he is fighting for the belt of the category of most prestigious weight. Pavlovich has every chance of becoming the new champion.
He has a very worthy opponent, he defeated Andrei Orlovsky, Alexander Volkov. I think Sergei has a game plan, he understands who he is going to face. I can wish you good luck! Aspinall is a thoughtful and technical fighter, Pavlovich will have to make an effort. The Russian’s physique will become known, and he will be able to impose his style. You have to be focused, concentrated. This opposition is even stronger than Jones. If you look at this fight long term, Aspinall looks like the favorite. We’ve never seen five rounds of Pavlovich. Let’s see if he can last the full 25 minutes. A quick finish is possible for him and he has a good finishing move.
Multiple world combat sambo champion, heavyweight Kirill Sidelnikov:
— For Seryoga, this is a very cool fight, but at the same time very difficult. A lot of people underestimate Aspinall, he’s a good guy who can take a beating and fight. For Seryoga, it will be a concrete exam. We all saw Seryoga standing, but we didn’t see his fight. Now he will have the opportunity to open up and show that he can not only tear people down with blows, but also fight. May God grant him victory. I like Sergei Pavlovich, he’s a good guy. He came to Stary Oskol, we trained together. A good boy. I wish him good luck, I will support him. For me, the game plan should be: even if it works on the ground, you still get up and continue working standing. Avoid combat altogether.
The UFC 295 tournament, in which Russian Sergei Pavlovich will challenge for the interim heavyweight title with Briton Tom Aspinall, will be broadcast live on the channel, starting November 12 at 06:00 (Moscow time), on Match! The broadcast of Fighter will begin on November 12 at 1:55 am (Moscow time).
Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
