Morning Report: Curtis Blaydes says Tom Aspinall rematch is for ‘the real belt,’ Jon Jones won’t ‘risk his legacy’

The UFC heavyweight division is about to start out making some progress within the title image.

It’s not the struggle he hoped for, however interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is staying lively and going to defend his title. At UFC 304, Aspinall is about to rematch Curtis Blaydes in Manchester, England on July 27. Will probably be the primary interim title protection since bantamweight’s Renan Barao defeated Eddie Wineland by way of second-round spinning again kick TKO at UFC 165 in 2013. Coincidentally, present undisputed UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones defended his mild heavyweight title in opposition to Alexander Gustafsson in the principle occasion immediately after Barao’s victory.

Divisions simply aren’t the identical when Jones will get concerned. At the least since 2020 when he departed his longtime residence of 205 kilos, sending the division right into a nightmarishly cursed scorching potato title alternate. “Bones’” eventual return as a heavyweight final yr noticed him compete for vacant gold after former champion Francis Ngannou’s departure from the promotion. Jones defeated Ciryl Gane within the bout, grew to become champion, was set to defend in opposition to Stipe Miocic, then suffered a torn pectoral muscle which led to Aspinall’s interim coronation over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295 final November.

Regardless of Jones’ latest return to coaching and the titles needing unification, Jones vs. Miocic continues to be the plan as evidenced additional by the interim title protection reserving. Nonetheless, most view Aspinall vs. Blaydes 2 as a extra legit general heavyweight title affair, together with each rivals.

“That’s how I’m approaching it,” Blaydes informed MMA Junkie. “After I informed my household, my brothers, my dad, my sister, ‘I’m preventing for a belt,’ I didn’t say interim belt. I mentioned a belt. Actually, a majority of informal followers, they don’t know the distinction. I’m positive a whole lot of them are most likely perplexed like, ‘How does Aspinall have a belt and Jon have a belt?’ They most likely don’t perceive the idea of interim vs. undisputed, and so they don’t care. All they see is a shiny belt and also you holding it in a UFC octagon. That’s all they want. So to me, it’s the actual belt.”

Blaydes, 33, has been a staple amongst the heavyweight High 10 for a number of years. At all times one large win away from a title shot, “Razor’s” time is lastly now. For Aspinall, he’ll search redemption after an ill-fated 15-second ACL tear of their first encounter in July 2022. The consequence was dominated a TKO loss for the British champion, making Blaydes the one man to carry a win over him contained in the octagon.

As quickly as Jones vs. Miocic was mentioned and ultimately introduced in 2023, concern accrued all through the group that it could possibly be a double retirement struggle, or no less than, the final time we’d see the winner. In latest weeks and months, Jones, 36, has expressed his minimal need in a matchup with Aspinall. Due to this fact, Blaydes admits he sees himself having even much less of an opportunity of garnering the curiosity of the all-time nice.

“If I win or if Aspinall wins, I don’t suppose Jon’s going to struggle anybody exterior of Stipe,” Blaydes mentioned. “After Stipe, he walks away into the sundown. I feel he likes to toss out totally different eventualities like, ‘What if I fought Alex Pereira? What if I fought Aspinall? What if I fought Blaydes?’ He desires individuals to speak about him, which I get. The extra you get talked in regards to the higher your following grows and it helps your sponsors. I get it. He’s expert at it. He’s been on the web for so long as I’ve had Fb and Instagram, he’s at all times been a presence. He is aware of what he’s doing. However do I truthfully consider he would threat his legacy in opposition to a man like me? No. ‘Trigger if he beats me, what does it do for his legacy?

“Are you going to be like, ‘Oh, that was the struggle that lastly cemented Jon because the GOAT.’ Both you consider he’s the GOAT already, otherwise you don’t. It’s like M.J. (Michael Jordan) vs. LeBron [James]. In the event you already don’t consider that LeBron is the GOAT, there isn’t something he can do to vary your thoughts, and vice versa. In the event you already consider he’s the GOAT. Nonetheless you view Jon Jones at this second or after he fights Stipe, that’ll be the lasting picture. And I don’t suppose he’s going to do something to jeopardize that.”

Jones has brazenly acknowledged the significance of bolstering his legacy at this stage and believes Miocic is the most effective one to do this subsequent. The previous two-time champion’s subsequent bout would make for his first since he misplaced the title to the aforementioned Francis Ngannou by way of second-round knockout at UFC 260 in March 2021.

Mathematically talking, Aspinall and Blaydes have been the extra lively fighters of the 4 within the title scene this decade. Sadly for them, they’re caught in a spot the place the division is beneath stranglehold by the legends, believes Blaydes.

“It’s not going to be a clean transition of energy,” Blaydes mentioned about Jones’ eventual departure. “He’s not going to only — I do know I mentioned he’s going to stroll off into the sundown, however I meant he’s going to ‘retire’ unofficially, however he’s not going to formally retire for who is aware of [how long]. It could possibly be a yr, a year-and-a-half. Nonetheless lengthy the UFC permits him to string it alongside, he’ll do it.”

Hindsight. Tyson Fury vows he would’ve chased Oleksandr Usyk knockout if he knew he was down

Victory. Oleksandr Usyk reacts to referee controversy in Tyson Fury struggle, will get emotional at presser

Classes. Cory Sandhagen doubles down on Chito Vera criticism: ‘Did you study something from our struggle?’

DQ. Ariane Carnelossi reveals facial accidents following UFC Vegas 92 headbutts, responds to Piera Rodriguez

Cancelation. Khalil Rountree Jr. out of Jamahal Hill struggle at UFC 303 as a consequence of doping violation

Distinctive. Melissa Gatto explains why she wasn’t stunned with weird UFC Vegas 92 chest-punch knockout

Playing. Leon Edwards, Tom Aspinall, Bobby Inexperienced all favored to win in UFC 304 opening odds

Purpose. Carlos Ulberg desires high opponent after fast end at UFC St. Louis, eyes Jamahal Hill at UFC 303

Help. Dricus du Plessis defends Jake Paul’s hustle: ‘He’s not a sh*t boxer’

Cheater. Piera Rodriguez blasts ‘coward’ Ariane Carnelossi after UFC Vegas 92 headbutt disqualification loss

$$$. UFC Vegas 92 bonuses: Angela Hill cashes additional $50K for first profession submission

UFC Vegas 92 and Fury-Usyk Publish Reveals.

Poirier Battle Marathon.

Free struggle.

PFL Epilogue.

Park vs. Fukuda hype video.

Aspinall in Vegas.

Nurmagomedov college.

Leg-breaking strategies.

Guess which film I watched this weekend.

Shoutout to @BurritoGibran on Twitter for immediately’s reader jam.

Go to Twitter, use the #MorningReport hashtag, or discover one in all my tweets with it, and drop me a jam you’re at present actually into. I’ll choose the most effective one alongside my day by day selection and offer you a shoutout! You too can share within the feedback beneath — these are simply more durable to sift by way of generally!

Countdown.

Distinction.

Gone however not forgotten.

Response.

Zabit sighting.

Congrats!

Sea life.

Muay Thai Jessy issues.

Historical past for the champ.

Extra Jon…

Storm chase.

Beef.

Good.

I don’t see why not.

Couldn’t inform ya.

Buckley has competitors with this one.

Informative judging thread.

Response.

Bros.

Sights with the Bispings.

Good attempt, Terry.

Harry Potter issues.

Kape.

Basic.

Artwork.

One other countdown.

Whoops.

Knees.

Trilogy.

Not nice.

Solely in Russia.

Chaos!

GOAT.

Crossover.

Gold imaginative and prescient.

Bought ‘er carried out.

Welcome.

Referred to as it.

Xiao Lengthy (26-8) vs. Chang Ho Lee (9-1); UFC Saudi Arabia, June 22

Charles Jourdain (15-7-1) vs. Jean Silva (12-2); UFC 303, June 29

Caolan Loughran (9-1) vs. Ramon Taveras (10-2); UFC 304, July 27

I like that everybody is beginning to agree with how absurd this Jones-at-heavyweight saga has grow to be. I imply, take a look at final week’s ballot outcomes beneath! The polls don’t lie!

Thanks for studying!

Final Week’s Outcomes:

Friday: 44% of 317 whole votes answered “Sure” when requested, “Will Conor McGregor struggle for a UFC title if he beats Michael Chandler?”

Thursday: 46% of 228 whole votes answered “Edson Barboza and Patchy Combine” when requested, “Who wins this weekend?” Lerone Murphy defeated Barboza by way of unanimous resolution in UFC Vegas 92’s major occasion and Combine defeated Magomed Magomedov by way of cut up resolution in Bellator Paris’ major occasion.

Wednesday: 59% of 241 whole votes answered “UFC Vegas 92” when requested, “Which is the higher occasion this week?”

Tuesday: 56% of 437 whole votes answered “Higher” when requested, “Would you give Aljamain Sterling a greater or worse likelihood of beating Sean O’Malley in a rematch at featherweight?”

Monday: 17% of 544 whole votes answered “0” when requested, “What’s your curiosity stage for Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic out of 10?”

Right this moment’s exit ballot:

In the event you discover one thing you’d prefer to see within the Morning Report, hit up @DrakeRiggs_ on Twitter and let him find out about it. Additionally, comply with MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Fb.