After spending so long pursuing a title unification bout with Jon Jones, newly crowned UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall must now turn his attention to the future.
Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) held the interim heavyweight title for over a year and a half while Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) repeatedly declined to face him. Now that “Bones” has officially announced his retirement, the British standout has been elevated to undisputed heavyweight champion.
A clash between Aspinall and Jones would have likely been one of the biggest fights in UFC history. But with the former light heavyweight king no longer in the picture, Aspinall has begun evaluating the other contenders in the division.
“The heavyweight division’s not exactly on fire at the moment,” Aspinall during an appearance on the One on One podcast. “From a name point of view. I think the talent’s there. But if you look five plus years ago, just the name value in the top 15 was incredible. We’re talking guys like Fabricio Werdum, Cain Velasquez, Junior (dos Santos), Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, Brock Lesnar, etc, etc. Stipe (Miocic), the list goes on and on. You look through the top 15 and it’s like wow, that’s incredible. Where as now, even me who’s a heavyweight, I look through the top 15 and I’m like I’ve not really seen (these guys) fight before.
“I think over the next few years that’s going to change. I think there’s going to be more big fights at heavyweight. People are going to become bigger names, which is great. We just need more up and coming heavyweights doing a bit in the top 15.”
Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title in November 2023 with a knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. Since then, he has fought just once, scoring another knockout victory over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 nearly a year ago.
After spending such a long stretch out of action, Aspinall says he’s more than ready to return to the Octagon. He also revealed that his first official title defense is already in the works, with an opponent and date locked in.
“I now have a fight, which will get announced, unfortunately that’s not my job,” Aspinall revealed. “But at least we’ve got a date, we’ve got an opponent to work towards. Everything’s good. Very happy with that. I can finally get my career going again.”
