Tom Aspinall, the UFC heavyweight contender, recently revealed his struggle with a back injury that almost derailed his fight against Sergei Pavlovich at the UFC 295 event. On Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, Aspinall shared the details of his injury, explaining how close he was to withdrawing from the highly-anticipated showdown.

In a video posted on social media, Aspinall can be seen doubling over in pain after throwing a punch during a sparring session. "I just wanted to get one good spar under my belt before we basically leave and travel to the U.S.," Aspinall said. "This was in the fourth round of sparring. Never experienced anything like it before. I just had a crazy back spasm, and my back just seized up."

The injury left Aspinall unable to continue training, and a couple of days later, he contemplated withdrawing from the fight altogether. He couldn't move or walk, posing a significant setback for the biggest fight of his life.

However, Aspinall received exceptional treatment for his injury, which improved his outlook and ability to compete. "It did get a little better, and luckily, my team was amazing and just shifted everything around so I could get some really good treatment," he explained. "For a couple of days there, I just like, s***, what am I going to do?"

Aspinall stepped up to face Pavlovich on just over two weeks' notice, filling in for heavyweight champion Jon Jones, who had to withdraw due to injury. The circumstances were far from ideal, as Aspinall had no proper training camp and struggled to participate fully in the limited time available.

Despite the challenges, Aspinall's determination prevailed. He navigated the logistical hurdles, including acquiring a visa and repeated trips to London, and entered fight week filled with anxiety.

"I was completely aware of what I put myself up against," Aspinall admitted. "This guy, Sergei Pavlovich, has the most knockouts in the UFC. He's on a six-fight, first-round knockout streak. Nobody wants to fight him, especially on two weeks' notice."

However, fortune smiled upon Aspinall as he transformed the worst-case scenario into the best. After enduring some initial hard punches from Pavlovich, Aspinall found his footing and retaliated with a powerful two-punch combination, sending the Russian crashing to the canvas. With a few definitive follow-up strikes, Aspinall's dream of becoming a UFC champion became a reality.

Reflecting on the roller coaster journey, Aspinall described his back injury as a "freak thing" that lasted a week. Despite the anxiety and obstacles he faced during the buildup to the fight, Aspinall emphasized his personal growth and resilience throughout the process.

"I've been doing a lot of knowing where I'm at, and finding what I'm like as a person," Aspinall shared. "Ultimately, this is what draws me to this sport – I want to find out what I'm like as a person. What is Tom like when s*** goes south? And a lot of stuff has been going south for me in this buildup, a lot of obstacles are coming my way."

In the end, Aspinall proved his mettle and demonstrated that he was not content with merely watching fights on TV. Despite the odds stacked against him, he emerged victorious, capturing the interim heavyweight title and solidifying his place among the elite UFC fighters.

Aspinall's remarkable journey serves as a reminder that perseverance and determination can overcome even the most daunting challenges.