Tom Aspinall is refreshingly optimistic about fighting Jon Jones. The interim UFC heavyweight champion has spent most of the last 16 months overlooked and avoided as the rightful challenger to Jones’ heavyweight title. A recent meeting with UFC gives him hope.
Jones has made it clear that he’s uninterested in unifying the heavyweight titles against Aspinall unless UFC backs up the money truck, drawing heavy criticism from fans and analysts. Aspinall and his team met with UFC chef business officer Hunter Campbell in London over the weekend. Aspinall left the meeting confident that the fight he most desires will materialize.
“We had a fantastic meeting, everything went amazing,” Aspinall told “The Ariel Helwani Show” on Monday. “I understand my position now, I understand what the company’s doing now, and you’ve got to stay tuned because there’s some big news coming.
“After the meeting, I’m feeling very optimistic about things. I’m in a really, really, really good spot with everything and my future moving forward. It’s exciting times, it’s really exciting times.”
Aspinall is one of only four fighters in history to defend a UFC interim title. He’s waited for an undisputed title fight since defeating Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023. Aspinall was sidelined in favor of Jones vs. Stipe Miocic. Uninterested in being benched, Aspinall defeated Curtis Blaydes in a rare interim title defense.
Aspinall’s feelings toward Jones also improved. He acknowledged it’s too soon to accuse Jones of stalling after fighting Miocic in November, and agreed that Jones deserves a big payday for their proposed fight.
“The break, it’s not a massive break, to be honest,” Aspinall said. “People are saying, ‘Jon Jones is holding up your career’ and stuff. It’s only been seven months, it’s not too bad. I don’t want to say too much, but exciting stuff in the future, for sure.
“I would also agree with the notion that he deserves every penny that he makes because he’s done everything that he can.”
More UFC news, rumors
- Former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira was allegedly compromised in his failed title defense at UFC 313. A muted Pereira lost a close unanimous decision to Magomed Ankalaev. UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently hinted that Pereira was injured and sick. “They say he fought with a broken hand and norovirus against Ankalaev,” Rogan said on Saturday’s UFC Fight Night “Fight Companion” podcast.
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Speaking of Rogan, count him among those disinterested in UFC CEO Dana White’s commitment to Power Slap. Rogan suggested the UFC made a mistake launching Power Slap and should have invested in kickboxing instead. “I think the UFC f—ed up when they went with slap fighting,” Rogan said. “I’ve been telling them forever, ‘You guys should get into kickboxing.’ If you only like standup fights, it’s not like the old days of kickboxing where they were boring. The knockouts are f—ing crazy. Kickboxing with MMA gloves in a cage would be giant. Just have a striking-only segment of the UFC. Glory’s got some elite fighters. I watch Glory all the time. It’s f—ing exciting, but nobody’s watching it.”
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