Tom Aspinall Reveals His Favorite Knockout — It’s Not What You Think

Tom Aspinall's Take on the UFC 309 Main Event

Tom Aspinall

Every athlete in sports has that one special moment in their career that stands out. For Tom Aspinall, despite delivering several highlight-reel knockouts throughout his journey, he picked his finish over Sergei Pavlovich as his favorite. With over ten knockouts to his name, it’s a surprising choice, especially considering the brutal finishes and revenge wins he’s had. But the context—short notice, poor conditioning, and Pavlovich’s knockout streak—makes that victory even more meaningful to him.

Talking to FightRoom, Aspinall named his knockout of Sergei Pavlovich as his favorite, highlighting the challenges he overcame. He accepted the fight on short notice, wasn’t in peak condition, and traveled across the world to compete. Despite the odds, he delivered a stunning finish against Pavlovich, who was riding a six-fight first-round knockout streak at the time. For Aspinall, the victory stands out not just for the result, but for the resilience and determination it took to pull it off.

“I think Pavlovich is my favorite knockout because I took the fight on short notice, I wasn’t in shape, flew across the world — everything was against me in that fight, and I still managed to do it. At that time, Pavlovich was on a six-fight, first-round knockout streak,” he said

When it comes to the sweetest knockout of Tom Aspinall’s career, his recent finish of Curtis Blaydes stands out. Although Aspinall hasn’t named it himself, it carries special weight. Blaydes was the only fighter to hand him a UFC loss. In their rematch, Aspinall needed just one minute to deliver a powerful knockout, securing redemption in emphatic fashion. It wasn’t just a win on paper—it was a personal victory that highlighted his evolution and resilience as a top heavyweight contender.

UFC Veteran Sees Jon Jones Playing Mental Games Against Tom Aspinall

A former UFC star proposes a surprising alternative for Jon Jones instead of fighting the “young and hungry” Tom Aspinall

Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones

The long-anticipated fight between Aspinall and Jones still hasn’t materialized, and it’s starting to raise eyebrows. Anthony Smith believes Jones is deliberately playing mind games with the interim champ. According to Smith, Jones has mastered the art of mentally and emotionally draining his opponents over the years, and he sees early signs that Aspinall is beginning to feel that pressure.

The continued delay and uncertainty appear to be taking a toll, hinting at growing frustration on Aspinall’s side. Meanwhile, if Aspinall manages to knock out Jones, there’s no doubt it would become the highlight of his career and one of the UFC’s most iconic moments. However, before any of that can happen, the UFC needs to officially book the fight. Until then, the anticipation continues to build as fans wait for the heavyweight showdown to finally take shape.