Tom Aspinall became UFC’s interim heavyweight champion with a brutal KO of Sergei Pavlovich in November last year.
It was only Aspinall’s eighth fight in Dana White’s promotion, three years after his debut, but it cemented his name among the best heavyweights to ever grace an octagon.
The 31-year-old will have his eyes locked on UFC 309’s main event this weekend as Jon Jones defends his heavyweight title against MMA veteran Stipe Miocic.
Jones has been engaged with a series of online debates between fans in the build-up to his clash against 42-year-old Miocic in the early hours of Sunday morning UK time.
He revealed that he would ‘more than likely not’ defend his belt against Aspinall—if he beats Miocic—instead calling out current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira as a potential future opponent.
This sparked a major reaction in the MMA community with former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping even suggesting that Jones should be stripped of his belt if he doesn’t fight Aspinall next.
Jones also told one fan on Instagram that he was ‘in a legends only league’ after the user had urged him to fight Aspinall.
Aspinall has spent years lurking in the shadows of the heavyweight division’s elite since making his UFC debut in July 2020.
He finished American Jake Collier in 45 seconds on that night in Abu Dhabi, which kick-started a five-fight win streak that witnessed him dismantle some of the division’s most intimidating names.
Aspinall’s spree of victories only ended when he tore his medial collateral ligament (MCL) against Curtis Blaydes two years ago at a UFC Fight Night event in London.
“I got injured with 25,000 home fans screaming my name and millions watching around the world. It’s a big blow to the ego,” he told CNN Sports in July.
But the blow to the big man’s ego clearly stood him in good stead mentally for what was to come.
As it would only be two fights later—after knocking out Marcin Tybura in the first round of his return fight one year later—that he would be crowned UFC’s interim heavyweight champion.
Aspinall went into the bout at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden knowing it was the biggest test of his career.
The Salford-born fighter had stepped in for the champion Jones, who was forced to pull out after suffering a pectoral injury, hence why the interim title was on the line.
Russia’s Pavlovich had won all six of his past fights via first round knockouts and—although the shorter fighter by two inches—had a six-inch reach advantage over his British counterpart.
Aspinall started the fight sharp by landing a quick calf kick that nearly swept his opponent in red trunks to the ground.
However, it was the Brit who was put on notice first when the Russian tagged him with a quick left hand that could’ve knocked any other man out cold.
Aspinall knew from that point on he couldn’t make any mistakes and used Muhammad Ali-like head movement to avoid Pavlovich’s strikes that he followed up with.
Just after the one minute mark, Pavlovich continued to press the Manchester man, but it was Aspinall who caught him with a powerful right hand that sent him stumbling.
Soon after, Aspinall caught him with a second right hand to the temple that sent him dancing into the canvas.
Ultimately, the fight was over as soon as the big Russian hit the canvas, but Aspinall’s ground and pound made sure the job was done.
UFC CEO White wrapped the belt around Aspinall, who was spotted tearing up as he took the moment in, to crown him the new interim King and the UK’s first ever UFC heavyweight title holder.
Aspinall was in the octagon again eight months later, knocking out Blaydes in what was the pair’s rematch—since Aspinall tore his MCL in the first bout—at UFC 304 in Manchester.
He would continue his trend of knocking out opponents in the first round as the holder of the UFC record for the shortest average fight time in the organisation’s history.
Among competitors with a minimum of five bouts, Aspinall sits at the summit—typically finishing his opponents just after the two-minute mark.
UFC 309 also has the returning Michael Chandler square off with Charles Oliveira in a huge five-round co-main event.
The American was scheduled to fight Conor McGregor at UFC 303 in June, but the latter pulled out due to an injured pinky toe.
In an ambitious plan for 2025, Chandler has vowed to fight for the lightweight title against after beating Oliveira with an eventual bout against McGregor sandwiched between.
Scotland’s Paul Craig also takes centre stage at UFC 309 as he takes on hot middleweight prospect Bo Nickal, while MMA icon Jim Miller fights his 57th professional bout and potentially his last.
