Whilst his services are unlikely to be required this weekend ahead of UFC 309, interim kingpin, Tom Aspinall is prepared to step up in the final minutes to save a headliner between Jon Jones and former champion, Stipe Miocic.
Aspinall, the current interim heavyweight champion, has been sidelined since he successfully defended said crown back in June, co-headlining UFC 304 in his native Manchester.
Avenging his sole organizational defeat in the process, Atherton finisher, Aspinall made light work of Curtis Blaydes with a brutal first round knockout win in the pair’s rematch fight.
Unsuccessfully staking his claim for a showdown with Jones to unify the heavyweight crowns this weekend at UFC 309 in place of a rescheduled matchup with the veteran, Miocic – Aspinall served as the official backup to the bout nonetheless.
And successfully making weight for the matchup, Tom Aspinall claimed none of his pursuit of a title fight with Jones is personally motivated.
“I’m just trying to get a fight for the undisputed title,” Tom Aspinall explained during an interview with The New York Post. “Like I’ve said before, it’s not aimed at John specifically—it’s just a bit of fun, really. That’s just my personality. John, on the other hand, takes it very personally, but for me, it’s lighthearted.”
Tom Aspinall ready to fight at UFC 309 on short-notice
Furthermore, Aspinall claimed that if his services are unlikely required for the Madison Square Garden clash, he would be more than happy to fight on short-notice.
“It’s unprecedented, but I have to roll with it. In two days, everything will be clear, and we’ll move forward. You never know in MMA, especially at heavyweight,” Aspinall explained.
“Training has been a bit different this time, not in terms of what I’m doing, though” Tom Aspinall said. “I know what I need to do to prepare for a fight. Usually, I’d bring in specific sparring partners and work on game plans tailored to the fighter I’m facing. But this time, we didn’t have the luxury of knowing who I’d be fighting, or even if I’d be fighting at all. We still don’t know. We’re two days away, and I still don’t know who I’ll be facing. So, the plan was to just focus on getting myself as ready as possible. Get fit, get conditioned, and get used to the impact of grappling and striking. That’s what I’ve been working on. If I have to go out there on Saturday, I’ll be ready. That’s all I can do.