Slated to make his return from a brutal knee injury this weekend in the main event of UFC Fight Night London, Atherton native, Tom Aspinall has touted himself as the next heavyweight champion following the reign of current gold holder and pound-for-pound number one, Jon Jones.
Aspinall, the current number five ranked heavyweight contender, has been sidelined since he headlined a UFC London back in July of last year, suffering a debilitating knee injury in a 15-second TKO loss to perennial contender, Curtis Blaydes.
Riding a run of five consecutive victories to kick start his Octagon tenure prior to his loss to Blaydes last year, Tom Aspinall had turned in notable stoppage wins over both Sergei Spivak, as well as Alexander Volkov – the latter of which in a headlining slot in the capital back in March of last year.
Tom Aspinall confident of striking UFC gold next
Booked to return this weekend against Polish heavyweight veteran, Marcin Tybura, Aspinall has tipped himself to become the next heavyweight gold holder.
“[Marcin Tybura] got me at the worst time he could ever get me because I am unbelievably hungry right now,” Tom Aspinall told UFC.com. “I am ready to show everybody that I am just the next heavyweight champion, honestly. I’m ready to show everybody what I’m all about.”
Later this year, the aforenoted, Jones, a former two-time light heavyweight champion, is slated to make his first attempted heavyweight title defense, taking on the returning former two-time champion, Stipe Miocic at UFC 295 in November at Madison Square Garden.
Jones had struck vacant heavyweight gold back in March at UFC 285, submitting former interim heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane with a first round guillotine choke submission win.
A staple of Team Kaobon, Aspinall has been tipped to contend for heavyweight gold in the near future – included in conversations with the likes of the aforenoted former interim titleholder, Gane, and surging Russian heavyweight knockout artist, Sergei Pavlovich.