Two New Champions Will Be Crowned At UFC 295–And Two Divisions Will Be Redefined

Jon Anik: “Check the betting lines, it’s even on both sides. It doesn’t get much better.”

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NEW YORK, NY–UFC 295 lacks the star power it initially contained with Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic headlining the card, but a compelling night of fights still awaits.

“This is the walk that every combat sports athlete hopes to make,” said Jon Anik, the UFC’s lead play-by-play commentator. “This building is undeniably special.

“Even for a Boston guy, there is no better place to do this than New York City. On paper, these fights are as good as any. Check the betting lines, it’s even on both sides. It doesn’t get much better.”

Courtesy Zuffa LLC

Two new champions will be crowned at Madison Square Garden, the famed host site of UFC 295. That includes an interim heavyweight champion, as well as the undisputed light heavyweight championship.

A pectoral muscle injury is preventing Jones from defending the heavyweight title. Despite the fact he is no longer part of the card, much of it continues to center around him.

Jones was the undisputed king of the light heavyweight division, which has seemingly been cursed ever since he moved to heavyweight. Jiri Prochazka won the title in a phenomenal bout against Glover Teixeira, then suffered a shoulder injury that forced him to relinquish the belt. Jamahal Hill won the vacant title, then ruptured his Achilles tendon, causing the title to be vacated once again.

Courtesy Zuffa LLC

In only his seventh UFC bout, Pereira (8-2) looks to make history by becoming a two-division UFC champion. The decorated kickboxer was a nightmare for Israel Adesanya, taking his middleweight title a year ago at MSG, and he now intends to carve his name into the record books again by dispatching former champ Jiri Prochazka.
Prochazka (29-3-1) last competed in June of 2022. He has not lost since a bout since the winter of 2015, but Pereira–with Teixeira in his corner–believes winter is coming for Prochazka.

“It’s a special moment,” said Pereira, speaking through a translator. “I don’t smile much. But I believe me, I am having fun.”

Courtesy Zuffa LLC

With Jones is off the 295 card, the light heavyweight title bout slides into the main event spot. And there is an interim heavyweight title bout featuring two of the most exciting heavyweights in the world–30-year-old Tom Aspinall and 31-year-old Sergei Pavlovich–who will both be competing long after Jones (36) and Miocic (41) leave their gloves in the Octagon.
a 100 percent finishing rate and 12 first-round finishes.

“Sergei is a scary guy,” admitted Aspinall. “That being said, I do my best work when I’m scared.”

Courtesy Zuffa LLC

In the summer of 2022, Aspinall lost a fight to Curtis Blaydes by TKO, tearing his MCL, parts of his meniscus, and causing issues with his ACL when he connected with the most infamous leg kick of his career. He returned this past summer and wiped out Marcin Tybura.

It is unlikely that Pavlovich will target Aspinall’s right knee. His focus will be on an all-out blitz in the opening moments that, if he has his way, will end the fight early. Mobility and agility will be critical for Aspinall, who needs elite footwork to avoid Pavlovich’s knockout power.

“There’s no other guy like me in the heavyweight division–6’5”, 260–who moves like I move,” said Aspinall. “I’m going not going to stand in the middle of the cage with him. I’m not going to have a dick measuring competition with him. Literally and figuratively, he’d probably win both.”

Courtesy Zuffa LLC

Matt Frevola will add a hometown flavor to the card, and the crowd at the Garden will explode if the Steamrolla picks up his fourth straight win. But the focus on this night at MSG will be the two title bouts, which will help redefine the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions.

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The Pick ‘Em Section:

UFC 295 light heavyweight title bout: Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira

Pick: Alex Pereira

UFC 295 interim heavyweight title bout: Tom Aspinall vs. Sergei Pavlovich

Pick: Sergei Pavlovich

UFC 295 women’s strawweight bout: Mackenzie Dern vs. Jéssica Andrade

Pick: Mackenzie Dern

UFC 295 lightweight bout: Matt Frevola vs.Benoît Saint-Denis

Pick: Matt Frevola

UFC 295 featherweight bout: Diego Lopes vs. Pat Sabatini

Pick: Pat Sabatini

Last week: 4-1

2023 record: 124-73