Tom Aspinall reveals cause for confidence Jon Jones title struggle subsequent

Interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall believes he’s subsequent up Jon Jones after receiving a sign from the UFC brass.

After stopping Stipe Miocic with a vicious spinning again kick to the physique in the primary occasion of UFC 309, Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) hopped on the mic with Joe Rogan and revealed he plans to proceed combating, halting rumors of retirement.

Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who was tabbed because the backup choice for the struggle, watched Jones deal with enterprise from cageside, and likewise listened intently to Jones’ phrases on the mic. When he heard his identify talked about, Aspinall mentioned he locked eyes with Dana White and Hunter Campbell.

“When Jon Jones was doing his speech, I used to be wanting instantly on the UFC brass, Dana and Hunter,” Aspinall mentioned on the ESPN post-fight present. “Each of them turned to me on the identical time and pointed at me and winked. On the identical time. So to me, that claims there’s one thing large within the pipeline.”

After being current all struggle week, not understanding if his companies as a backup fighter can be wanted on the final second, Aspinall leaves New York with extra confidence that the subsequent time he and Jones step into the octagon, it is going to be to unify the heavyweight title.

Mixed with White’s insistence that the winner of the UFC 309 primary occasion would face Aspinall subsequent, the Englishman feels he’s in a very good place to get the chance to show he’s one of the best heavyweight on the earth.

“That is huge,” Aspinall mentioned. “That is doubtlessly one of many greatest fights in MMA proper now. If that doesn’t curiosity Jon Jones, then I don’t know what else we are able to do. Everyone is aware of that that is the struggle to make. That is the struggle the individuals need. That is the struggle the UFC needs, that is the struggle the followers need, and that is the struggle that has to occur now.”