The 265-pound strap, the substitute 265-pound strap, and a new challenger for it are all going to “The Big Apple” next month. The UFC line will tow the joke: An incumbent heavyweight, an old guy, and a brawler enter Madison Square Garden. Who comes out the victor? Well, that is the question since Brit interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is now the backup for UFC 309. Jon Jones meets Stipe Miocic at the pay-per-view headliner in November.
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones vs. ex-heavyweight king Stipe Miocic is just one month away (Sat., 11/16/2024). The penultimate yearly PPV at New York City could see a potential double retirement if ‘Bones’ wins. Hence, it’s Aspinall to the rescue, in the truest sense, on an “interim” titleholder gunning to unify gold.
Yes, it is official, …I mean, Dana [White] announced it a while ago now, but I didn’t actually hear anything from the UFC. But we actually spoke, and everything is going good and we came to an agreement about it.
Tom Aspinall on ‘The Ariel Helwani Show’ (@ArielHelwani) for MMAFighting on SBN
For over a year, the promotion has been fixated on Jones (27-1MA, 21-1UFC) vs. Miocic (20-4MA, 14-4UFC) as the next heavyweight title bout. Aspinall has tried for title unification talks in the meantime, but in vain. However, his luck opened up yet another stoppage win and a rare defense of his interim belt at the Manchester pay-per-view. Now, should UFC come calling on spot to figure out the ongoing logjam at the top, the Team Kaobon heavyweight is ready.
During Dana White’s Contender Series 72 (DWCS Season 8), the UFC CEO again confirmed that Aspinall would be the main event backup. Now, the Englishman confirms the talks have instilled further conversations other than just UFC 309. Aspinall also revealed big plans for him but would not let the cat out of the bag just yet.
What’s next for Tom Aspinall?
UFC 309 will take place on the 16th of November at Madison Square Garden in New York. If all goes to plan and Aspinall is no longer needed, the main event will mark the end of a prolonged stalemate at the ranks. If they do deploy Aspinall, it still ends the logjam, but with him living to his “true” heavyweight resolve.
Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has long awaited the pay-per-view rebooking. Beyond that, Aspinall defeated Sergei Pavlovich for an interim title. Aspinall, 31, then defended it against Curtis Blaydes in July at the UFC 304 PPV. Now that he is in the smack middle of the Jon Jones-Stipe Miocic equation, he gets more breathing room. Realistically, though, what are the options ahead for him after them?
We know what’s happening going forward. We got plans, …We have future fight plans. Everything is right there. It’s going to be a good couple of years, let me tell ya…Big plans. Big, massive plans….[Jones or Miocic is next] That’s what is happening. We got other options, too, in case one guy wants to retire and one wants to continue, or both guys want to retire. Whatever. We have all the bases covered.
Tom Aspinall further said
The downside to being an indomitable British KO artist is that he has run through everyone in the Heavyweight Top 5, minus Ciryl Gane. Subsequently, Gane has his own rebooking at UFC 310, right after 309. Miocic can take up the challenge if he does not retire. However, the UFC bossman says this is “most definitely” his last fight.
Despite White’s hunch, ESPN post-fight panelist and light heavyweight Anthony Smith thinks Miocic can move on to Aspinall. That could anyway be the case if Jones doesn’t make UFC 309. Meanwhile, coach Greg Jackson thinks Miocic and “Bones” deserve better than moving on to the substitute belt. Could Alex Pereira still be in the equation then, at 265? Whatever the case, Aspinall has big plans ahead.
