This past weekend in London, Aspinall and his team sat down for a chat with UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell, and the vibes are apparently fantastic. Aspinall shared his positive experience on The Ariel Helwani Show, stating, “We had a nice meal and we talked everything through. Hunter has always been extremely personable and reasonable with me—I can’t say what he’s like with other people, I don’t know—but with me and my team he’s been nothing but hospitable and fantastic. We had a fantastic meeting, everything went amazing, I understand my position now, I understand what the company’s doing now, and you’ve got to stay tuned because there’s some big news coming.” When pressed if things were moving in the right direction, Aspinall confidently replied, “That’s fair to say.”
Despite the uncertainty of the heavyweight landscape, Aspinall seems unfazed by his time out of the cage since his quick TKO victory over Curtis Blaydes last July. He expressed his excitement for the future: “After the meeting, I’m feeling very optimistic about things. I’m in a really, really, really good spot with everything and my future moving forward. It’s exciting times, it’s really exciting times. The break, it’s not a massive break, to be honest. People are saying, ‘Jon Jones is holding up your career’ and stuff. It’s only been seven months, it’s not too bad. I don’t want to say too much, but exciting stuff in the future, for sure.”
While Aspinall remained tight-lipped on the specifics of the discussion and didn’t confirm if Jones was the primary topic, his ultimate goal remains crystal clear: to be recognized as the undisputed king of the heavyweight division. “Of course, I want to fight,” Aspinall asserted. “But it’s got to be right and as I’ve said multiple times over, what I deserve is the undisputed heavyweight title. That’s very important to me. Money and everything aside, that’s really secondary. What I want is to be undisputed heavyweight champion and I’m working towards it. I’m not sat at home scratching my ass and watching TV all day, I am getting involved in the gym every day. … I’m in a good spot, I’m in a really, really good spot. I would rather fight sooner rather than later, but I’m also the type of guy that believes everything is happening for me. So I’m sure when the time comes it’s going to be the right time.” He also made it clear that another interim title defense is not on his agenda.
Regarding Jones’ reported demand for “’f*ck you’ money” to step into the octagon with him, Aspinall surprisingly showed understanding. “I would also agree with the notion that he deserves every penny that he makes because he’s done everything that he can,” Aspinall conceded.
And let’s not forget the playful jab Aspinall took at UFC London, where he was spotted on camera with a toy duck – a not-so-subtle nod to the ongoing narrative that Jones is “ducking” a fight. When asked about it, Aspinall quipped with a smile, “No, I just like ducks. I’m always carrying around a little duck with me, just in case. No, of course, it was just a cheeky bit of fun, it was a little indirect, a bit of ‘bants,’ as we say. Just a bit of fun, that’s all.”
So, what does all this mean for the heavyweight division? Aspinall’s optimism suggests that the UFC has a plan, even if the specifics remain under wraps. Whether that plan involves the long-awaited unification bout with Jon Jones or a different path to solidify the top of the division, one thing is certain: Tom Aspinall is ready, willing, and waiting to claim his spot as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Keep your eyes peeled, fight fans, because it sounds like some exciting news is just around the corner!
