Nothing has been typical about Tom Aspinall’s reign as the UFC interim heavyweight champion. He was thrust into the spotlight after Jon Jones suffered an injury that resulted in the cancellation of his initially planned title fight and Aspinall took advantage of it with his first-round stoppage win against Sergei Pavlovich. However, this joy has been stopped by a logjam at the top of the heavyweight division. Therefore, with Jones and Stipe Miocic also set to meet for the undisputed crown, Aspinall finds himself itching to defend his interim gold again.
Recent interviews on TNT Sports hint at Dana White’s attempt to solve this problem. “If you think right now it's March,” White said, referencing the ongoing wait for Jones and Miocic's rescheduled fight, “Who knows, Jon Jones and Stipe, because of the injury, who knows when they will fight. It's not right to let Tom [Aspinall] sit and if Tom [Aspinall] wants to defend the title we'll absolutely do it.”
Aspinall must be happy after hearing White make this statement because reports suggest that Aspinall is not interested in being idle. The Englishman has never hidden his anger about what is happening right now. In one recent interview, he even emphasized that “I’m not gonna wait forever, I want to fight and then defend this belt.”
His devastating striking and slick submission skills made him an automatic choice for future undisputed champion. Nonetheless, inactivity kills careers and a long layoff could mean a loss of momentum.
For Aspinall, the timing couldn’t be more perfect if he is to make his first title defense. There is a buzz among English MMA fans as UFC is planning to return in 2024. Headlining his home country card with an interim belt at stake was a monumental occasion for the growth of British MMA and Aspinall personally.
Some prospective adversaries would make appealing opponents. A fight with Curtis Blaydes after he dismantled Jailton Almeida at UFC 299 could be interesting. A stylistic challenge faces Aspinall from Blaydes who holds the No. 5 spot in the heavyweight rankings. In their first meeting in 2022, Aspinall’s bout only lasted seconds because of a knee injury suffered by Aspinall himself during its opening moments. Another fight between these two rivals, but this time around with Aspinall healthy would hence be highly anticipated.
Another fascinating choice is Ciryl Gane, who was once an interim champion and currently sits at No. 2 having just knocked out Serghei Spivac. This would be a fight between two of the division’s most promising strikers Aspinall and Gane. Fans would certainly salivate over this potential fireworks-filled contest.
Irrespective of his opponent, the most important thing for Aspinall is to get back into the Octagon. The longer he waits, the more people will change their perception about his reign as an interim champion. Dominating in his first title defense could silence critics and put forth a strong argument that he should have the next shot at the undisputed crown.
Dana White’s recent comments suggest that the UFC is starting to pay heed to Aspinall’s call. It seems that everything is falling into place for the “Aspinall Era” in the heavyweight division with an impending return of UFC to England.
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