A quick glimpse at a cell phone screen during a Tom Aspinall video blog revealed how much the interim champ was paid to be at the ready to replace Jon Jones or Stipe Miocic at Madison Square Garden.
How much did Tom Aspinall get paid to play backup for Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic at UFC 309?
We now know the answer to that question thanks to a quick glimpse at Aspinall’s phone during a video blog, which revealed texts from UFC CBO Hunter Campbell with the impressive figure. According to an exchange between the two, the interim heavyweight champion received $200,000 to prepare for UFC 309 on November 15th and weigh in.
The UFC took Aspinall’s role very seriously, too. They didn’t pat him on the back and say “Thanks but no thanks” after Jones and Miocic weighed in on Friday morning. They kept Tommy on call right up until both main event fighters made their walks to the cage.
Video shows Aspinall asking Dan Ige — another fighter who knows a little something about last minute replacements — if he’s allowed to have a beer. Ige says yes, but Aspinall’s team texts Campbell to confirm.
“For $200k I’d very much appreciate if he can wait until they walk,” Hunter replied. “I’d kill myself if I said yes and something happened.”
Funny enough, Aspinall still ends up having a beer before that point.
Tom Aspinall gets shut down by UFC boss Hunter Campbell when asking if he can “have a beer” while at MSG before Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic.
“For $200k I’d very much appreciate if he can wait until they (Jon/Stipe) walk…I’d klll myself if I said yes and something happened.”… pic.twitter.com/FBjOwKfxdq
— AFeldmanMMA (@afeldMMA) November 18, 2024
“I’m having one,” he told referee and friend Marc Goddard. “I seen that they’re in the building so I thought…”
Not that it mattered. Jones and Miocic fought, Jones won (watch the highlights), Aspinall got paid his $200,000 backup fee, and “Bones” even said he’d fight Aspinall for ‘f— you money.’ That might be too much money, but for this night in New York City, everyone seemed very positive about what might come next.
“It’s now 3:43 a.m., just had a meeting with Dana and the other UFC brass, Hunter,” Aspinall said to end his UFC 309 video blog. “And, uh, all success! I’ll see you next time. Big news coming! Big news coming!”
For complete UFC 309 results, coverage and highlights click HERE.