Tom Aspinall has Everything on the Line As He Prepares for Fight Against Curtis Blaydes

Tom Aspinall faces one more formidable challenge before he can vie for the undisputed UFC heavyweight title.

Curtis Blaydes has been a stumbling block in Aspinall’s UFC journey thus far (7-1, 14-3). Although it’s highly technical to consider, Blaydes did secure a 15-second TKO victory over Aspinall at UFC London in July 2022 due to a freak ACL tear.

However, this setback only seemed to fortify Aspinall, who subsequently triumphed over Marcin Tybura and Sergei Pavlovich upon his return. His reward? The interim crown he claimed in his victory over Pavlovich this past November.

Aspinall and Blaydes will face off again in the co-main event of UFC 304 when the promotion returns to Manchester, England on July 27, 2024.

Both fighters have emphasized that their first encounter is irrelevant when it comes to preparation for this rematch. Nonetheless, Aspinall acknowledges that Blaydes remains his most formidable opponent.

“There’s unfinished business there, evidently,” Aspinall told The Mac Life. “I’ve said this all along. I’ve said this before we last fought, which is over two years ago now: I believe that Curtis is the toughest matchup in the division for me stylistically.

This is no disrespect to Curtis — it’s a bit of a lose-lose fight in the fact that he’s not that popular, is what I’m saying. He’s not that popular.

“The guys that you want to fight are the guys who stylistically you match up well with, and they’re really popular. They’re the guys you want to fight, and Curtis is kind of the opposite of that.

I’m not saying anything bad about Curtis or anything, but he’s not the most popular guy ever, and he’s really good. I’m looking forward to it, though. None of that really makes a difference to me. I am preparing now 100 percent for Curtis.”

By now, you are surely aware of all the turmoil at the top of the heavyweight division, so I’ll spare you the details everyone already knows.

The undisputed champion Jon Jones, Stipe Miocic, and the UFC all still want to see Jones vs. Miocic happen above any other heavyweight title clash.

Yeah, that’s even with Miocic openly admitting he just wants Jones and doesn’t care about the title, but whatever.

In response to Jones recently stating that he “wouldn’t be surprised if Curtis won,” Aspinall acknowledged that very well might happen. In the end, that’s just the risk he’s willing to take.

“He might [beat me] — it’s heavyweight MMA at the top level,” Aspinall said. “Someone always might win, and I believe in myself. Yeah, I think I’m good.

I think I’m the best in the world. But does that make me invincible? No. Absolutely not. It’s heavyweight MMA. One shot off Curtis and the ref might be waking me up.

That’s how it works. This is heavyweight MMA at the peak of the mountain. Of course, there’s a chance I can get knocked out. I’m fully aware of that. But I’m putting it all on the line, and quite frankly, [Jones] isn’t.”

Despite the verbal exchanges between Aspinall and Jones throughout the year, no progress has been made towards a unification fight.

The interim champion bears no ill will towards “Bones” and acknowledges that Jones is currently not on his radar. His focus remains solely on Blaydes, with the prospect of facing Jones being a concern for the future.

“I honestly think Jon Jones is a legend and I respect what he’s done in the octagon,” Aspinall said. “Right now, he’s quite irrelevant to what I’m doing. I’m fighting Curtis Blaydes.

“I have nothing against Jon regardless of what he says. It’s all bollocks, but I’m 100 percent invested in beating Curtis and that’s it.”