Serghei Spivac explains refusal to call out opponent

LAS VEGAS – You can ask him a million times, but you’re unlikely to get an answer.

Simply put, Serghei Spivac has no interest in calling anyone out – even after what was widely regarded as one of his biggest wins to date Saturday, when he submitted Marcin Tybura in the UFC on ESPN 61 main event.

“When people ask me what’s next, it’s very hard to say because a lot of things can change in the heavyweight division really quickly,” Spivac said through an interpreter at the post-fight news conference. “So it’s really good for me when the UFC says who is next, as opposed to having to choose. I understand the (events) happen every single Saturday, every single week, so I’ll wait and I’ll see. We’ll see what’s next.”

While no name-drops surfaced from Spivac’s lips, a potential next opponent, Jailton Almeida, called for him Saturday. Spivac elected not to engage in-depth with Almeida, but issued a simple demand.

“Let him train,” Spivac said.

Spivac revealed that he suffered an injury in training camp for the fight and nearly pulled out, though he declined to detail what exactly that injury was. Between whatever residual healing remains and the impending birth of a new addition to his family, Spivac said he’s not totally sure about his timeline, though the end of 2024 does sound appealing.

“End of the year would be great,” Spivac said. “I would come out at the end of the year. As long as I stay healthy, I will fight at the end of the year.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 61.