Tom Aspinall hasn’t hidden his frustration about being stuck on the sidelines, with no clear sign that a fight with Jon Jones is on the horizon. After successfully defending his interim heavyweight title at UFC 304 in July 2024, the English powerhouse is yet to make an appearance. However, 2015 UFC Hall of Fame inductee Bas Rutten feels the fight will eventually happen. The 60-year-old also believes that it will be the hard-hitting Brit fighter who will come out on top. As questions continue to swirl around the long-awaited heavyweight showdown, Dana White remains calm under pressure.
The UFC president, who believes the matchup could be a record-breaking spectacle and possibly the biggest fight in the promotion’s history, has one message for fans: “Relax.” But Tom Aspinall isn’t exactly feeling zen.
The interim champ is restless, driven by years of hard work and a burning desire to seize the undisputed gold. Well, the Dutch-American former MMA legend also believes that the fight is just around the corner. He feels Jones will take the fight just to prove he is the best in the world. But if the fight happens, Aspinall will be a tough ask for him, as revealed by Rutten.
He sat down for a chat on Submission Radio and picked the interim champion as the favorite, mainly because of his calm mind and devastating skill set. He said, “He’s [Aspinall] so fast on his feet, you know. And he’s like he’s so calm also. The thing that makes Jon Jones great also is his mind. He’s so calm, you know. I always used the same example against Cormier. With the head kick, I think him in round three, but he set him up for two rounds, you know, and to set that up for two rounds, people have no idea how hard that is, man.”
He further added, “Aspinall has that also. Aspinall also has the feeling that he does not care, and he’s completely relaxed. He’s completely in control and that makes him a very dangerous fighter then on top of that he kicks freaking hard. He punches really hard. He’s super fast on his feet, light on his feet and he’s got great freaking grappling game as well.”
Tom Aspinall with post event media during the UFC 304 event at Co-op Etihad Campus, SportCity, Manchester, England on the 27 July 2024. Copyright: xAndyxRowlandx PMI-6350-0004
Aspinall, for quite some time, has been battling a ghost—not in the Octagon, but within his own mind. In a recent conversation with Demetrious Johnson, the interim UFC heavyweight champion opened up about the internal struggle he’s been facing. But not too long ago, Tom Aspinall wasn’t quite exhausted. Rather, he was inspired.
Tom Aspinall once had dreams of having the same confidence as Jon Jones
Long before the silence, the speculation, and the supposed mind games, there was admiration. In early 2023, Tom Aspinall spoke of Jon Jones with nothing but respect. In a BBC Sport column penned ahead of Jones’ return to claim the vacant heavyweight title against Ciryl Gane, Aspinall’s words were filled with reverence. He was in awe of the man many consider the greatest of all time. At that time, Jones wasn’t a rival—he was a figure Aspinall looked up to. The interim champion wrote, “Jones is so free when he fights, his fight IQ is far superior to anyone he’s ever faced.”
He further added, “His confidence is off the scale and that’s what I’m trying to achieve myself, to have that confidence where you just know you’re miles better than everyone else.” Now, in 2025, that admiration has soured into frustration. What was once a dream matchup has dragged into a tiresome waiting game. The confidence Aspinall once drew from Jon Jones has morphed into an obstacle—an unshakable barrier he hasn’t been able to break through… at least not yet.
But the big question is, can the interim champion deliver when it will matter the most? At the moment, there has been no official announcement of the fight. However, if the pair ever fight against each other in the future, will we see a new heavyweight champion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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