Tom Aspinall: ‘I’m fighting for an undisputed title next’

While Tom Aspinall doesn’t quite know the identity of his next opponent, he knows the stakes that will up for grabs.

The Briton successfully defended his interim UFC heavyweight title at last month’s UFC 304 event in Manchester, needing just 60-seconds to dispatch perennial contender Curtis Blaydes as he enshrined his status as the best active heavyweight fighter in the world today.

The fight came about as the division’s full champion, Jon Jones, remains on the sidelines due to a pectoral injury ahead of a proposed title defence later this year against former champion Stipe Miocic; the 42-year-old who last competed in the cage in March 2021.

But as he told MMA Fighting, Aspinall is adamant that his next opponent will be for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world — even if he doesn’t know quite yet who that might be.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” Aspinall said. “That’s kind of out of my hands. All I know is my next fight’s going to be for an undisputed title. That’s it. I won’t do anything else.

“My next fight, I’ll fight anybody as always, as I’ve done throughout my whole career — you can ask any of the UFC matchmakers that — but right now, I’m the best UFC heavyweight in the world and I’m fighting for an undisputed title next.”

And, potentially, such a fight might come on extremely short notice given Aspinall’s desire to be the backup fighter for the Jones-Miocic bout should one fall foul to injury in the lead-up.

“Yep, I’ll be there. I’ll do that,” Aspinall said. “I’d fight them guys on an hour’s notice if they needed me to.

“Listen, I could beat both of these guys, no problem. If I’ve got to do it on a day’s notice, I can do it. Easily. So I’ll be there and savour the opportunity if it presents itself.”