‘I Want To Get That One Back’
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Tom Aspinall has moved on from the idea of a fight against either Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic.
The Heavyweight division of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is in somewhat of a limbo despite having two champions. England’s Aspinall is the interim kingpin, who was crowned in the wake of undisputed titlist, Jones’, pectoral injury in October 2023.
Jones and Miocic are hellbent on fighting each other next, as was initially planned for UFC 295 in November 2023. Therefore, Aspinall must (likely) defend his interim title before a clash with either man. After Curtis Blaydes’ recent big second round technical knockout of Jailton Almeida (watch highlights) at UFC 299, he makes for a logical option.
“Jon Jones and Stipe are tied up with each other, and they’re not going to budge on that,” Aspinall told OLBG. “Right now, it’s in the UFC’s hands, and I’ve never been picky about my opponents. I’ve only ever told them fights I want. I’ve never told them fights that I don’t want. Blaydes has said he wants to fight me, and I’ve said, ‘Okay, cool, let’s do it.’ That’s it.
“I’m just waiting at the minute,” he continued. “I’m just waiting for the call. I’m in the gym twice a day, and I’m en route to training as we speak. I’m ready to go whenever. I like Curtis Blaydes, but professionally, I want to beat him because he’s got a win over me when I got injured. I don’t know if the right word is ‘personal,’ but it is personal. But not in the way that I don’t like him as a person; it’s personal in a professional kind of way. I want to get that one back.”
Aspinall’s lone loss in UFC (7-1, 14-3 overall) came opposite Blaydes at UFC London in July 2022. After just 15 seconds, Aspinall, unfortunately, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which resulted in a technical knockout loss (watch highlights).
Aspinall, 30, had fought thrice consecutively in his home of London, England, before his recent interim title-winning effort over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 in Madison Square Garden (watch highlights). If UFC CEO, Dana White’s, recent confirmation of another summer return to England is anything to go by, it’s safe to predict another home game in Aspinall’s future.
“I’ve fought at my two dream locations. I fought at the O2 Arena three times and sold it out, and at Madison Square Garden, and I won the title there,” Aspinall said. “The location doesn’t really bother me. I’d prefer it on this side of the world (U.K.) because it’s easier to prepare for. I’d like to be back in the summertime, that’s a decent timeline for a champion at the top of the division. We’re a lot less active than the smaller guys, so six months between fights is ideal. That’s perfect.”
