Tom Aspinall remains optimistic about his future in the UFC and his quest to be recognized as the undisputed heavyweight champion, despite not being overly concerned about a potential fight with Jon Jones and recently having positive discussions with UFC officials.
Tom Aspinall isn’t too worried about the Jon Jones fight. It’s no secret—Aspinall’s been eyeing Jones for a while, hoping they can clash to unify their UFC heavyweight titles. Aspinall, ranked No. 1 in the division by the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, snagged an interim belt after defeating Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. This happened when a bout between Jones and Stipe Miocic got postponed due to Jones’ injury.
Jones claimed a vacant undisputed title at UFC 285 after Francis Ngannou‘s departure and later defended it against Miocic at UFC 309. Meanwhile, Aspinall has also defended his share of the heavyweight crown. Despite being a three-time light heavyweight titleholder, Jones often dismisses Aspinall as a worthy challenger.
Just last Saturday in London, Aspinall met with UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell. After their chat, he feels more optimistic, though it’s unclear if this means a showdown with Jones or another fight is on the horizon. "We had a nice meal and talked everything through," Aspinall shared on The Ariel Helwani Show. He praised Campbell for being personable and reasonable, mentioning that big news is coming.
When asked if things are moving in the right direction, Aspinall said, "That’s fair to say." He’s excited for what’s next and isn’t bothered by his layoff since fighting Curtis Blaydes in July. "After the meeting, I’m feeling very optimistic," he added. "Exciting times ahead."
The break? Not massive, honestly. People say, "Jon Jones is holding up your career," but it’s just been seven months—not too bad. Without spilling too much tea, Aspinall hinted at exciting stuff on the horizon.
Though details from his talk with Campbell were sparse—and not necessarily about Jones—Aspinall made one thing clear: he wants recognition as the undisputed No. 1 heavyweight in the UFC. "Of course, I want to fight," he stated. But it’s gotta be right; what he deserves is that undisputed heavyweight title.
"I’m not just sitting at home scratching my ass," he quipped. "I’m in the gym every day." He’d prefer to fight sooner rather than later but trusts that everything happens for a reason.
He confirmed there’s no plan to defend the interim title again. As for Jones demanding "’f*ck you’ money" for their potential fight? Aspinall’s cool with it. "I agree he deserves every penny he’s made," he said.
At UFC London, Aspinall seemed to poke fun at Jones by holding a toy duck—playing into the joke that Jones has been "ducking" him. When asked about it? "No, I just like ducks," he chuckled. Just some cheeky fun—nothing more!