Tom Aspinall doesn’t plan to maintain defending his UFC interim title.
Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) hoped to unify his belt with heavyweight champion Jon Jones, however he’ll have to attend till Jones defends his belt towards Stipe Miocic first.
Within the meantime, Aspinall defends his interim title in a rematch towards Curtis Blaydes (18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) within the UFC 304 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) co-main occasion July 27 on the Co-op Stay in Manchester, England.
Aspinall’s lone UFC loss got here to Blaydes by TKO in July 2022, the place he blew out his knee simply 15 seconds into the struggle.
“My confidence has grown masses since then,” Aspinall instructed talkSPORT MMA. “Simply every little thing’s higher. I’m a brand new model of myself than I used to be once I fought (Blaydes) final time, and he’s improved, as nicely, so complete new struggle this time.”
Aspinall gained’t maintain his breath on the subject of preventing Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC). All he is aware of is that if he will get previous Blaydes, he’ll solely struggle for the undisputed title subsequent. Jones and Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) are anticipated to struggle Nov. 9 in New York.
“I’m over it at this level,” Aspinall mentioned of Jones. “I’m preventing Curtis Blaydes. It’s a troublesome struggle and I’m getting ready for Curtis, so Jon Jones and all the remainder of the politics are fairly irrelevant to me proper now. (I’m) centered on him and nothing else. … If I win this one, which I imagine I’ll, the subsequent struggle must be for undisputed (title) – positively. I’ll wait it out if I’ve to after this one. However for proper now, that doesn’t exist.”
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