PAVLOVICH ON ASPINALL BATTLE FOR UFC INTERIM HEAVYWEIGHT BELT
Sergei Pavlovich (18-1, fighting out of Moscow, Russia) intends to deliver a shutout performance against Aspinall and add his name to the history books by capturing UFC gold No. 2 UFC heavyweight 15 wins by knockout, 15 first-round finishes Record: In modern era, holds longest UFC first-round knockout win streak Currently on a six-fight win streak
00:00 I believe you were preparing to be a backup for this card for John, Joe and Stipe, but now you're fighting in the co-main event for an interim title.
00:14 So I'm curious, can you walk us through the call when you got the call from the UFC and what was the time frame of saying yes and them announcing the fight?
00:23 Hello everyone. Of course I was training. After the second training we were walking in the park. My manager Ali called me and told me such great news. I agreed right away.
00:51 Tom was in here and he said he wasn't really in full camp. He was helping teammates out and he wished he had a full camp to prepare for you.
01:15 Is it an advantage for you knowing that you weren't preparing to fight Tom specifically, but you were going through a camp to prepare as a backup?
01:22 You know, I think you can't underestimate your opponent. You need to fully understand your opponent.
01:49 We were preparing for the fight and we were fully focused. Everything was very serious.
01:55 You know, I don't think you can take an opponent lightly. I don't think I'm underestimating him in any way. We were prepared. We were prepared for anybody. We were prepared really hard. So everything is serious. Everything is 100%.
02:07 Did you have to change your camp much at all or did you have even time to bring in new training partners or anything to prepare for someone like Tom?
02:13 Did you have to change anything in your camp or did you have even time to bring in a new sparring partner that could imitate Tom?
02:22 Yes, we had to change some things. We have a lot of sparring partners in our gym, so we didn't have to bring in new ones. We had enough.
02:31 Tom was in here and he said that he doesn't think you've ever faced someone like him that has the same movement and speed as him. So I'm curious, when you look at Tom, what do you make of his skill set and the movement that he brings up?
02:50 I can say whatever you want, but we'll just see.
03:09 A lot of fans are very excited for John vs. Stipe, but it seems that diehard fans are much more interested in your fight because you and Tom are on these long win streaks. You're relatively young in your career and you're in the prime of your career. I'm curious if that's reached you, the amount of interest that this fight specifically has brought against Tom.
03:28 A lot of fans are very excited for John vs. Stipe, but it seems that diehard fans are much more interested in your fight because you and Tom are relatively young in your career and you're in the prime of your career. I'm curious if that's reached you, the amount of interest that this fight specifically has brought against Tom.
03:50 I don't know what kind of fight is expected, but I think it's going to be a very interesting fight because it's going to be a real war.
03:59 I can't really tell you which fight the fans are more excited about, us or them, but the fact is I can tell you this is going to be a really exciting, really fun fight because it's going to be a real war.
04:24 Before your fight with Curtis Blades, it was shown that you're playing in casinos, I wanted to ask if you're interested in this game or you just played it.
04:36 No, it was my first time, so I'm not interested.
04:39 Did you win or did you lose?
04:45 First I won, then I lost everything I won.
04:53 It's always like that.
04:54 Who would you rather fight for the unification belt after this victory? John Jones or Stipe Miocic?
05:10 To be honest, both are my legends, so it doesn't matter to me.
05:18 I asked this of your opponent earlier, Tom. Are you at all upset that John Jones didn't vacate the title and this is for interim or does it matter?
05:29 You know for me this is the legitimate title.
05:46 You know for me this is the legitimate title.
05:47 Sergey, at the back.
05:50 Tom was in here earlier and he's repeatedly called you the scariest guy in the division. I'm just wondering what you make of that characterization?
05:58 Thank you very much, Tom.
06:09 How would you describe him, one word?
06:12 How would you describe him, one word?
06:14 One word?
06:19 I'll say a couple words. Tough dude.
06:40 You're now in the ranks of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, the guys who fought for the heavyweight title in Madison Square Garden.
06:47 Do you understand what's going on or not yet?
06:52 I'll probably repeat myself. I've done a lot of work to be here and to be here. You're a witness to that. I understand where I'm going and what I want.
07:03 You know I might be repeating myself but I'll say it again. To get here, to be at the spot, there was a lot of work and a lot of steps were made to get here.
07:11 So I think that I know where I'm at, I have a goal and I'm going for that goal.
07:28 John probably won't be here for at least 8 months. But let's say you won the belt on Saturday. How much do you want to continue to be active and defend this title?
07:37 I'm probably one of those fighters who never share the skin of a killed bear. First there's a fight and then we'll see.
07:44 You know we have a saying in Russia that we don't divide the fur of a bear that hasn't been killed yet. So I'm one of those guys that doesn't do that.
07:50 First I've got to get the title, then we'll think about it.
07:53 Thank you.
07:55 Sergey back here on the left. You're on an amazing knockout streak beating some big punchers like Tarik Lewis and Tui Vassa.
08:01 Aspinall brings a different style. Can you just describe what makes him a tough challenge on the feet?
08:07 If we look at all my last opponents, they're all different styles of guys and very tough guys.
08:13 Tom is a tough guy, he's another level that I'm on.
08:18 So we do our job, we work hard, we understand that we have to win.
08:24 I'm not a guy who's going to be a champion, I'm not going to be a champion.
08:30 We do our job, we work hard, we understand that we have to win and we're ready for anything.
08:38 If you look or if Tom looks at my previous opponents, they're all tough, durable, strong guys.
08:43 So I think now Tom is the next step in front of me, he's the next step that I have to take to get further there.
08:48 So if you look at me, if you look at what I do, we do hard work, we train hard to make sure that we achieve that next goal.
08:54 Where do you think you have an advantage in this matchup and what are the biggest keys for you to get the victory?
09:02 What are your privileges in this matchup and what are the keys to your victory?
09:07 You know, it doesn't make sense to sit here and talk right now.
09:12 I know one thing, I'm ready for this fight 100%.
09:15 I've done a lot of work, I've prepared for the guys who are the legends of this sport.
09:19 Now I'm here, there's not much time left.
09:23 When the cage closes, we'll see.
09:26 You know, it doesn't make sense for me to sit here and mince words and tell you what I'm going to do and what I'm not going to do.
09:30 The only thing I can say is that I'm 100% prepared.
09:33 I was prepared for the guys that I consider legends in this sport.
09:36 So the only thing that separates me now is a little bit of time until we get there on Saturday.
09:40 The cage will close behind me and then we'll see what happens.
09:43 Sergey, a knockout win here would tie you with Chuck Liddell for the longest knockout streak in UFC history.
09:51 What would that mean to you to match that record and is that ultimately how you feel this fight ends?
09:57 If there's a knockout on Saturday, you're going to be on par with Chuck Liddell, who has the record of the longest knockout streak in UFC history.
10:05 How do you feel about that?
10:08 First, do you think you're on par with the legend?
10:11 Second, do you think that the fight on Saturday can end with a knockout?
10:15 You know, there will be a fight between two heavyweights, so anything can happen at any moment.
10:22 So it's always nice to be able to pick up some legendary things.
10:29 You know, when it comes to the fight itself, there's going to be two big dudes, strong dudes that are going to be fighting each other.
10:35 So we don't know what's going to happen, but it's going to be a good fight.
10:38 And then the fact that I'm tying a legend possibly on Saturday, well that's great.
10:43 That means that I'm achieving some other goals, some other goals that I set for myself and putting myself in the ranks of the greatest.
