Latest news with #CurtisBlaydes
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Tom Aspinall evaluates possible UFC opponents after Jon Jones retirement claim
Tom Aspinall has broken down the threats posed by the UFC heavyweights whom he could fight next, after claiming Jon Jones has retired. Aspinall has held the interim UFC heavyweight title since knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in November 2023, when an injured Jones was unable to defend the regular belt against Stipe Miocic. Jones finally returned 12 months later and stopped Miocic, but only after Aspinall made the rare move of defending the interim title, which he retained with a knockout of Curtis Blaydes last July. As a result of the Briton's victory and Jones's success against fellow American Miocic, the pair should have been paired in a title unification bout by now. However, 38-year-old Jones has refused to commit to such a contest, never publicly saying he will fight Aspinall, 32. This week, the Wigan heavyweight told Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier, two of Jones's former opponents, that 'Bones' has retired. He then told The Independent: 'I want to keep my job, so I don't want to say too much, but I said what I've said in other interviews and stuff... People think I'm joking, but it's the truth. I'm not the kind of guy to pull any media stunts or anything like that, like... What I'm saying is the truth.' Aspinall added that his next fight 'will be announced pretty soon as far as I'm aware', after he told Sonnen and Cormier: 'I've got a date and a location.' Fans may interpret those updates as Aspinall having agreed a return date with the UFC but without Jones being confirmed as his opponent. With the UFC having announced main events for its pay-per-views in June, July and August, Aspinall seems unlikely to fight before September, which was set to host a Mexican-centric PPV that is now a standard Fight Night. And if Jones is not his opponent, the likeliest options are Ciryl Gane, Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida – ranked second, third and sixth respectively. Aspinall has already beaten No 4 Pavlovich and No 5 Blaydes, and although he also holds a submission win over Volkov, the Russian bounced back with four straight wins before a controversial split-decision loss to Gane. 'Volkov is the tallest guy in the UFC, 6f 9in,' Aspinall told The Independent. 'He's got like 45-50 pro fights, bags of experience, and he's just a good, solid all-rounder. He's good everywhere, really awkward, massive. He's seen everything except a UFC title. I think all that combined just makes him really dangerous. 'Gane's a great mover, controls the range very well. He's a great kicker for a big guy. He's a former interim champion himself, he's fought everybody apart for me at the top level basically. He's very good. 'Almeida is a good grappler, striking we haven't seen too much of yet, but people say the same about my grappling. People say, 'Well, he's not that good of a grappler,' but I just haven't had the chance to show it. Maybe he's the same with his striking. Most of his fights are predominantly grappling-heavy, but it doesn't mean he can't strike; he's just not had the opportunity to show it yet.' Aspinall also opened up on how he has stayed motivated over the past 11 months, without having a fight signed, saying: 'I'm in a really lucky position. We've set up a really good training situation, where heavyweights and light-heavyweights come to us to do their camps. I'm so lucky that my dad has created that kind of environment. 'Guys are coming from overseas to do training camps, coming in sharp for hard sparring and hard rounds. If I ain't there, I'm gonna get my ass kicked basically, and I don't want that! I want to be as sharp as possible. So, I just want to say how much I appreciate my training situation and the guys I've got there, because without them, it would have been a really depressing time. 'I'm not the kind of person who gives myself a lot of credit; I beat myself up a lot. But I feel like I've really been consistent in improving my skills in the time I've not been fighting. That is one of the blessings of not having a fight booked: you can just work on your overall game. [Jiu-jitsu champion] Craig Jones was here last week; a couple of weeks ago, I was in Holland sparring Rico Verhoeven, the best kickboxer of all time. So, I've really taken this time to improve as a mixed martial artist. Thank God, soon I will get the opportunity to show everybody.' Aspinall was speaking at the launch of his long-term partnership with sportswear brand Champion. On the new deal, he said: 'I was looking to move forward with someone who I can go to the end of my fighting career and beyond with. I'm in a really good position, where it can be a brand that I like; I don't just have to take a brand for money or exposure. Champion had the same kind of vision as me, wanting to make MMA mainstream. That's really important to me – not just for myself, but for the generation after me.'
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Jon Jones uses Drake diss lyrics to confirm career move days after Dana White's UFC guarantee as Aspinall left in limbo
JON JONES channelled his inner Kendrick Lamar as he seemingly confirmed his next career move, which has left Tom Aspinall in limbo. The eagerly anticipated heavyweight title unification fight between the pair has yet to be finalised, despite the UFC brass meeting Jones' demands to be paid " F**K YOU MONEY". 5 5 5 Jones has left UFC fans on tenterhooks with conflicting statements on his future, most recently claiming he was "DONE" after saying his "best is yet to come". But in an impromptu X posting spree, he seemingly provided some clarity on his days as a fighter. When asked how it felt to be retired, he wrote on X: "I don't know if I wanna call it retired. "I feel like I'll always have an ability to pop out and show 'em. "I've had many breaks throughout my career, my identity outside of fighting is well intact. "I'm genuinely enjoying life, I'm growing in different ways." Jones' willingness to "pop out and show 'em" - a lyric from Kendrick Lamar 's 'Not Like Us' diss track at Drake - will no doubt be frustrating for Aspinall to hear. The Wigan warrior has been on the sidelines since his 60-second title defence against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in Manchester last July. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 And to make matters worse, the 32-year-old last month became the LONGEST-REIGNING interim champion in UFC history. Fan favourite Aspinall has vocalised his frustrations at being sat on the sidelines waiting to hear an update from the UFC brass. Jon Jones Blasts UFC Rival Tom Aspinall In X-Rated Rant But former pound-for-pound king Jones insists he's already informed Dana White and Co. of his intentions. The 37-year-old: "Y'all barkin' up the wrong tree. I told the UFC my plans a long time ago. "I have no clue why they haven't shared them with you guys yet." Jones' adamance that the UFC know his plans came just DAYS after UFC CEO and President White GUARANTEED he'd return to the octagon this year. He told Adam Glyn: "Jon Jones will be fighting in 2025. 100 per cent." 5 Jones hasn't set foot inside the cage since his stunning spinning back-kick stoppage of Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 last November. MMA fans have accused the former long-reigning light-heavyweight champion of "ducking" Aspinall since his MSG mauling of Miocic, a notion he's vehemently denied. In a recent Instagram Live, he said: "I've got people in the chat calling me a duck. "Meanwhile, I'm living my absolute best life. "I don't know if it's considered ducking when you're living good. I don't think it works like that.'
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Tom Aspinall admits he has 'had enough' of waiting for Jon Jones and reveals theories for UFC legend refusing to agree mega-fight
Tom Aspinall is growing restless with Jon Jones ' refusal to commit to what would be the fight of the year. The British star has not been in action since knocking out Curtis Blaydes in 2024 and was desperately pursuing a showdown with 'Bones', who many regard as the greatest fighter of all time. But Jones has played down Aspinall's accomplishments at every opportunity and does not seem to want to get in the octagon with the man who has won every single one of his UFC fights by finish. When asked about the latest on the Jones situation and his own immediate future, Aspinall told the High Performance Podcast: 'Me, personally, I can't do anything. 'I just think it's down to money on his side. I will fight whenever — whenever, wherever he wants — but it's down to money I think. 'I just think that at this stage in his career, he's had an amazing career, I just think that... he's like 37, 38 years old, but not only that, he's got a million miles on the clock. Tom Aspinall is tired of waiting for Jon Jones to agree terms to fight against him 'So he's got a lot of damage on the body, he's [taken] a lot of shots to the head. And that's not me saying anything negative. That's the reality of it, and I'm sure Jon Jones is aware of that. On positing that the hold-up is between Jones and the UFC over pay negotiations, the 32-year-old added: 'When you put him in there with, and I'm not trying to blow my own trumpet, but I'm literally the most dangerous guy in the UFC if you look at the stats. 'When you put him in with a guy of my size who has them credentials at this stage in his career, I think Jon's a smart guy and realizes that, so he wants to be compensated financially for it.' 'I'm well bored of [the Jones conversation]. I've had enough. We either need to fight, or I need to move on to something else.' It seems likely that if Aspinall doesn't fight Jones, the American will retire from the sport without any other major match-ups for him - other than Alex Pereira, who lost his last outing. And he would therefore be stripped of the heavyweight title. Aspinall won the interim belt with a view to fighting for the real title back in November 2023, beating Sergei Pavlovich in New York. He was then so tired of waiting for Jones that he defended the interim crown against Blaydes on home soil last summer. The 32-year-old insists he is ready to move on if Jones doesn't commit to the fight But he is a man in his prime and seemingly not content to wait on the sidelines while Jones offers no indication of progress either way. Jones vs Aspinall would undoubtedly be the biggest pay-per-view card of the year and no doubt the UFC would love to agree terms. The heavyweight champion is in a strong negotiating position but evidently there needs to be agreement soon, or Aspinall will simply switch his attention elsewhere.
Forbes
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Interim UFC Heavyweight Champ Tom Aspinall Bored Of Jon Jones Talk
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 27: Tom Aspinall of England reacts after his knockout victory against ... More Curtis Blaydes in the interim UFC heavyweight championship bout during the UFC 304 event at Co-op Live on July 27, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is nearing his breaking point when it comes to waiting for a title unification bout with UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 16: Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall looks on during the ... More UFC heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) "I'm well bored of it. I've had enough," Aspinall said on the High Performance Podcast. "Either we need to fight, or I need to move on and do something else. And like I said, I'm gonna find out. Literally, today is the day that I've been waiting three, four months for, and I'm gonna find out today what's going on." Aspinall won the interim UFC heavyweight crown in November 2023 with a knockout victory over Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. Aspinall took that fight on short notice when the original main event for that card, Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic for Jones's heavyweight title was scrapped following an injury to Jones. Despite Aspinall winning the interim crown, UFC CEO Dana White remained steadfast in saying that Jones vs. Miocic was the fight to make. That fight did not take place until November 2024. Jones held on to his belt that night, beating Miocic by TKO in the third round. By that time, Aspinall had already defended his interim crown, scoring a first-round knockout win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in July 2024. Aspinall has been waiting for the title unification bout with Jones since Jones's win over Miocic in November. In late April, Miocic became the longest-serving UFC interim champion, topping the 535-day reign of Renan Barao, who defended his interim title twice before being named undisputed champion. "Me, personally, I can't do anything," Aspinall said about the Jones fight. "I think it's just down to money, I think, on his side. So I will fight whenever, wherever he wants. But it's down to money, I think." "I just think that at this stage in his career, he's had an amazing career," the interim champ continued. "He's like 37, 38 years old, but not only that, he's got a million miles on the clock. So he's got a lot of damage on the body. He's took a lot of shots to the head, and that's not me saying anything negative about it. That's the reality of it. And I'm sure Jon Jones is aware of that." "When you put him in with, I'm not trying to blow my own trumpet, but I'm literally the most dangerous guy in the UFC if you look at the stats. When you put him in with a guy of my size who has the credentials at this stage in his career, I think Jon's a smart guy, and he realizes that. So he wants compensating financially for it." MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 27: Tom Aspinall of England reacts after his knockout victory against ... More Curtis Blaydes in the interim UFC heavyweight championship bout during the UFC 304 event at Co-op Live on July 27, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) In March, Aspinall spoke about potential progress in the Jones situtaion. "We had a nice meal, and we talked everything through," Aspinall told Ariel Helwani,"(UFC CBO) Hunter (Campbell) 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, and I understand my position now. I understand what the company's doing now, and you've got to stay tuned, my friend. There's some big news coming." 'I feel like we're in a good spot right now," Aspinall added. "I realize I'm a professional MMA fighter, UFC fighter, and we're doing all this media stuff lately, it's gone really well. The YouTube channel is flying, social media's flying, everything's going really, really well with that, which is good. That's really, really nice, but first and foremost, I like fighting people. That's what I like to do. If I'm not doing that, I feel a little bit — that's just what I like to do. I like to do that. That's the most important for me, and I've not been doing that over the last seven months. 'After the meeting, I'm feeling very optimistic about things. I'm in a really, really good spot with everything and my future moving forward. I think it's exciting times, man. Really exciting times. 'The break [waiting for Jones' decision], it's not a massive break, to be honest," he added. "People are saying, 'Oh, 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 is in the future, for sure.' MONTREAL, QUEBEC - MAY 09: UFC CEO Dana White waves to the crowd during the UFC 315 ceremonial ... More weigh-in at Bell Centre on May 09, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) In late April, UFC CEO Dana White addressed rumors about the Jones vs. Aspinall fight. 'Everything you hear is (expletive) until we (the UFC) say it,' White said of all the talk about Jones vs. Aspinall. 'I've said it many times, that's the fight we want to make this year.' White then added that he remains 'super confident' that Jones and Aspinall will meet in 2025 before adding, 'I've said since day one, this will be the biggest heavyweight in the history of the company and in the history of the sport. It's going to be a big one.'
USA Today
08-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Multiple UFC 313 fights canceled due to illnesses hours prior to event – including Curtis Blaydes bout
Two UFC 313 bouts are off due to fight day illnesses. The heavyweight bout between perennial contender Curtis Blaydes and debutant Rizvan Kuniev, as well as the featherweight bout between John Castaneda and Chris Gutierrez have been canceled hours prior to the start of the event. According to the promotion, Blaydes and Castaneda fell ill, causing the removals of their fights from the lineup. It's unclear if either fight will be rescheduled. UFC 313 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The card will continue with 10 fights. With the changes, the UFC 313 lineup includes: MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET) Champ Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev – for light heavyweight title Rafael Fiziev vs. Justin Gaethje Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Jalin Turner Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPNews/Disney+, 8 p.m. ET) Rei Tsuruya vs. Joshua Van Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan Carlos Leal vs. Alex Morono Francis Marshall vs. Mairon Santos PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 7:30 p.m. ET) Ozzy Diaz vs. Djorden Santos For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC 313.
