Tom Aspinall focused on Curtis Blaydes and will wait for Jon Jones fight if he wins

With heavyweight champion Jon Jones scheduled to face former two-time titleholder Stipe Miocic when he returns from injury, the UFC heavyweight division is in limbo.  

In Jones’ absence, the fight promotion crowned an interim heavyweight champion and now he will defend the interim belt at UFC 304 on July 27 in Manchester, England.  Manchester’s own Tom Aspinall captured the interim title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in November and will put the interim belt on the line in a rematch against fourth-ranked Curtis Blaydes.  

If Aspinall defeated Blaydes, he plans on sitting out and waiting for a unification match against the winner of the the Jones and Miocic title fight.  He and Blaydes met for the first time in July 2022.  Fifteen seconds into the bout Aspinall fell to the canvas holding his knee.  The fight was stopped due to the injury and Blaydes picked up a TKO win.   

“We’re two different fighters now.  We’ve improved a lot, both of us, since then,” Aspinall told talkSPORT MMA.  “I’ve got a lot more experience since then especially big fight experience which is massive.”

“My confidence has grown loads since then. Just everything’s better.  Everyting’s a lot better.  I’m a new version of myself now than I was when I fought him last time. He’s improved as well so whole new fight this time.”

As far as Jon Jones, Aspinall remains focused on defeating Blaydes.  That domino has to fall for a unification bout to take place.    

“I’m over it at this point.  I’m fighting Curtis Blaydes. It’s a tough fight and I’m preparing for Curtis so Jon Jones and all the rest of the politics are pretty irrelevant to me right now. Right now, focused on him and nothing else,” Aspinall said.  “If I win this one, which I believe I will, my next fight has to be for undisputed. Definitely, and I’ll wait it out if I have to after this one. Right now, that doesn’t exist.  What exists for me is Curtis Blaydes and nothing more.  I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.”