Tom Aspinall has been waiting patiently in the wings for his shot at UFC gold. The Manchester native has spent years lurking in the shadows of the heavyweight divisions’ elite, but his moment is now closer than ever. In just four years, Aspinall has shot to the UFC’s summit, positioning himself as a force to be reckoned with, while securing a coveted spot as the interim heavyweight champion.
With UFC 309 on the horizon – where reigning champion Jon Jones will face MMA veteran Stipe Miocic at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden – Aspinall’s sights are firmly set on the outcome of its main event bout. For Aspinall, this heavyweight showdown should set the stage for the ultimate clash – a unification bout that could cement his status alongside Jones as one of the sport’s all-time greats. Yet, this vision has been tarnished by Jones himself, who believes a bout with Apsinall would disrupt his own legacy in the UFC.
Jones told fans in November that he is in ‘a legends-only league’ and suggested to MMA journalist Kevin Iole that a fight with the 31-year-old Brit is unlikely, saying Aspinall ‘just hasn’t proved anything’. But Aspinall’s record suggests otherwise. Since making his UFC debut in July 2020, he’s proven himself in spectacular fashion by overcoming a serious injury in between knocking out opponents in record time.
He finished Jake Collier in 45 seconds on his debut for Dana White’s promotion, which kicked off a five-fight win streak tha.
