In a spectauclar year for Atherton native, Tom Aspinall, returning from a catastrophic knee in injury just last summer, can call himself the first UFC heavyweight champion from the UK — landing interim divisional gold with a massive first round knockout win over streaking Russian finisher, Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event of UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden.
Aspinall, who entered tonight’s co-headlining interim title fight with Pavlovich as the number four ranked contender, rebounded from a brutal knee injury back in July on home soil at UFC London, stopping Marcin Tybura with a first round knockout win.