Tom Aspinall has predicted every UFC champion by the end of 2025.
Aspinall is the current UFC interim heavyweight champion and is likely to fight Jon Jones for the undisputed title in 2025.
UFC President Dana White has even offered a ‘100 per cent’ guarantee that both men will fight in the New Year, following Aspinall’s several call outs of Jones to no avail.
While he waits in the wings for his inevitable title shot, however, the 31-year-old from Wigan has been asked about his fellow UFC male champions and how they will perform in 2025,.
Unfortunately Aspinall was not questioned about the UFC’s three female divisions, so we only have his thoughts on the eight male ones.
“I mean, I would have to choose Muhammad Mokaev, but he’s gone,” Aspinall told TNT Sports when asked about who the men’s flyweight champion would be in 2025.
“So Pantoja, I’d say he’ll still be there this time next year.”
British prospect Mokaev appeared to line up a title shot at flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja after he outpointed Manel Kape at UFC Manchester in July.
However, he was savagely released by UFC CEO White, who announced he was ‘not under contract anymore’ in the aftermath of the bout.
The 24-year-old from Manchester has since returned to Brave CF, the promotion he fought for before the UFC, and won on his return via first-round submission in December.
“It’d be between Merab [Dvalishvili] and Umar [Nurmagomedov],” Aspinall continued, speaking on the future men’s bantamweight champion.
“It’s an interesting fight, but I would back Merab, I think.”
Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov are set to meet at UFC 311 on January 19 in what will be the former’s fight defence of his bantamweight title since winning it from Sean O’Malley.
“Featherweight… Hmm… I’d say Lerone Murphy will be getting up there this time next year,” Aspinall added.
“But I still don’t think he’ll have won a title just yet. I think that’ll be probably the year after.”
“I think Ilia Topuria will still be champion this time next year. Easy, easy.
“Islam [Makhachev] is going to be the [lightweight] champion. Again, next year.
“I think Belal [Muhammad] is massively underrated, and he’s still going to be the [welterweight] champion next year.”
Belal Muhammad dethroned Leon Edwards to win UFC gold for the first time at UFC Manchester in July.
So, it’s interesting to hear that Aspinall doesn’t believe Birmingham’s MMA star can fight his way back to a UFC title in the New Year.
33-year-old Edwards announced in November that he would be headlining UFC London, which is scheduled for March 22 at the O2 Arena.
But no official announcement has been made for the card that will feature Molly McCann and Aspinall’s sparring partner Mick Parkin.
“Right. I’ve picked against Dricus [Du Plessis] so many times, and I’m not going to do it again,” Aspiall said on the state of the middleweight division before doing exactly what he said he wouldn’t.
“But I think to say that Khamzat Chimaev is not going to be a champion this time next year is just silly, so I’m going to say Khamzat.
“I think Alex Pereira [as light heavyweight champion]. Ah, I don’t know. I think he’s got a tough fight with Magomed Ankalaev. I think that’s a really tough fight, so I don’t know.
“I don’t know in that one. I’m going to be on the fence. It’s going to be one of them two. It’s either going to be Ankalaev or Pereira.”
Aspinall was then asked about the elephant in the room as to who he thinks will be the UFC’s heavyweight champion in 2025.
“Oh, come on,” he said with a growing smile on his face. “This time next year, as Ricky Gervais said, could be sitting in this hot seat.
“I’m going to say me this time next year, yeah. Definitely.”
