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Just two British fighters have held UFC titles - Michael Bisping was the first to achieve that feat when he won the middleweight belt in 2016, while Leon Edwards is the current welterweight champion.

Tom Aspinall has been on an upwards trajectory towards the UFC heavyweight title since making his debut with the promotion in 2020.

He has finished six of his seven fights, with his only defeat coming against Curtis Blaydes last year when he suffered a serious knee injury in the first round.

Aspinall hasn't had long to prepare for his big moment against Sergei Pavlovich, but says the opportunity was too good to turn down.

"A lot of people wouldn't take Pavlovich on a full camp - I know that for a fact, never mind two weeks notice," said Aspinall.

"I took the fight because I believe in myself. I've been having a lot of success recently, coming back from a year off with injury, and I want to stay active. And opportunities like this don't come around all the time.

"The UFC believe in me - I've been doing great work for the UFC. You can ask anyone who works there, I've never said no to a fight yet. I'm ready for it."

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Just over two weeks ago we were gearing up for one of the most highly-anticipated heavyweight contests of all time.

Champion Jon Jones was due to make the first defence of his belt against Stipe Miocic at UFC 295.

However, Jones sustained a shoulder injury in training and the UFC had to scramble to assemble a replacement bout.

Up stepped number four ranked heavyweight Tom Aspinall and number two ranked Sergei Pavlovich with the opportunity to become the interim champion.

Aspinall, who received the call at 06:00 GMT, was as surprised as anyone to be featuring on this card.

"Listen, are you healthy and will you be ready to fight in two weeks?" was the question from someone "really high up in the UFC".

Aspinall said: "The UFC announced it as soon as I accepted it, so my phone was going absolutely wild. There was a million people coming at me, media, and all kinds.

"It was a mix of emotions to be honest. It took me a couple of days to get settled in and to get my head around it."

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Three decades of the UFC are being celebrated in New York tonight.

It is 30 years since the first-ever card took place at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado on 12 November 1993.

What a long way we've come since that night and what a card we have in store for us to mark the occasion at Madison Square Garden.

Tom Aspinall is looking to become just the third Brit to win a UFC title, albeit the interim heavyweight strap, when he takes on Russia's Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event.

That fight was only agreed 17 days ago!

Topping the bill are Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira with the vacant light-heavyweight title on the line.

Prochazka is attempting to reclaim the belt he vacated last year when he suffered a serious shoulder injury, while former middleweight champion Pereira is competing at 205lbs for just the second time.