Tom Aspinall is simply wanting up and forward because the second half of 2025 approaches.
No, MMA’s true No. 1 heavyweight nonetheless doesn’t have his first combat of the yr booked, however the gears look like in movement for Aspinall to schedule an opponent quickly. Whether or not it’s UFC champion Jon Jones or one other heavyweight contender, Aspinall is keen to return to competitors and it feels like he’ll achieve this with UFC CEO Dana White endorsing him.
Following UFC 316 this previous Saturday, White was requested concerning the ongoing Jones-Aspinall scenario and whereas he hasn’t stored up with all the drama, he made it clear that Aspinall is “the man” and that he nonetheless needs to make a heavyweight championship unification bout occur.
Aspinall is blissful to listen to he has the boss in his nook.
“I believe lots of people come out and so they see what I’ve stated and so they assume it’s some form of media stuff,” Aspinall stated on his YouTube channel. “Hear, I don’t do this form of stuff. If I’m going to return out and say one thing, it’s going to learn data.
“As I’ve stated a few occasions, not for me to say. That’s past my pay grade, I don’t announce no fights, I don’t announce no UFC information or nothing like that. However there may be some coming, there’s positively some coming. Dana White says I’m his man, we love that. And I’m going to go and show that fairly quickly, so it’s coming.”
Jones not too long ago went on a prolonged Twitter spree through which he continued to dismiss Aspinall, the UFC’s interim heavyweight titleholder, as a challenger, and later addressed a rumor that former UFC champion Francis Ngannou could be open to a return to the promotion beneath the precise circumstances. Jones wrote {that a} bout with Ngannou is “an actual superfight” and “a conflict of champions, not simply hype.”
White shut the door on Ngannou returning, however that didn’t cease Aspinall from questioning how he’d match up with the PFL star, who departed the UFC with gold nonetheless round his waist.
“I’ve stated loads occasions the day that I begin ducking out of fights and turning opponents down and begin turning opponents down and stuff like that’s the day that I’m going to retire,” Aspinall stated. “As I’ve all the time stated, and you may ask any promoter that I’ve ever labored with, any guys on the UFC, I’ll combat anybody, I’ll combat anytime, and I’ll combat anyplace. By no means turned down a combat in my life. By no means will.
“The day that I begin excited about turning down fights is the day that I’ll retire, so to reply the query, whoever they need me to combat is who I’m going to combat.”
Amputation? Kayla Harrison would have allow them to minimize off her leg to make weight for her UFC 316 title combat.
Future. Amanda Nunes couldn’t keep at American High Staff realizing a bout with Harrison was of their future.
Remix. Patchy Combine releases a press release following a disappointing UFC debut.
Prayers. The complete MMA group is hoping for Ben Askren to recuperate as he offers with a extreme well being subject.
Gossip. Dana White says every little thing is okay with Turki Alalshikh forward of the TKO Boxing launch.
UFC 316 Submit-Battle Present.
UFC 316 post-fight media scrums.
Re-live UFC 316 with the MMA Combating crew.
Max Reax.
Extra reax.
Mark Kerr, Corridor of Fame.
On to the Subsequent One. The subsequent matchups for UFC 316 title combat winners Merab Dvalishvili and Kayla Harrison are apparent, however what’s to be finished with the favored Sean O’Malley now? And the way lengthy will it’s earlier than we see Julianna Peña once more? Mike Heck and Alexander Ok. Lee talk about all that plus future fights for Saturday’s large winners.
Whoa.
Preach, Double D!
Congratulations @KaylaH !! With @UFC belt you now get the credit score you’ve lengthy deserved !!
4 years in the past I crusaded media to respect your dominance . . . Possibly NOW extra media will acknowledge and canopy the GREAT MMA fighters not a part of the UFC advertising and marketing machine. #PFLMMA https://t.co/QHzmVnWQD2
— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) June 8, 2025
Nominative determinism.
Put me again in, coach.
Georgia signify.
Nonetheless need to see these two combat once more sometime.
That is what occurs once you’re handed belongings you didn’t earn. Again in line, buddy @SugaSeanMMA
— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) June 8, 2025
Chase Hooper (16-3-1) vs. Alexander Hernandez (16-8); UFC 319, Aug. 16
Patricky Pitbull (25-14) vs. Shunta Nomura (9-2); Tremendous RIZIN 4, July 27
Naoki Inoue (19-4) vs. Ryuya Fukuda (25-8-1); Tremendous RIZIN 4, July 27
Seika Izawa (15-0) vs. Yu Jin Shin (3-0, 1 NC); Tremendous RIZIN 4, July 27
Kleber Koike (34-8-1, 1 NC) vs. Mikuru Asakura (18-5, 1 NC); Tremendous RIZIN 4, July 27
Masanori Kanehara (29-13-5) vs. Ya-Man (2-2); Tremendous RIZIN 4, July 27
Karshyga Dautbek (18-3) vs. Kyoma Akimoto (8-1); Tremendous RIZIN 4, July 27
Moeri Suda (13-6) vs. Noel (2-1); Tremendous RIZIN 4, July 27
Bantamweights! They’re incredible! And sure, in contrast to traditional, we’re speaking about each the boys’s and girls’s sides of the UFC roster.
The highest two fights if UFC 316 delivered in a giant approach, giving us one other assertion efficiency from Merab Dvalishvili and a brand new champion in Kayla Harrison, and Harrison already has a dream combat lined up with the GOAT Amanda Nunes. Good occasions throughout.
Talking of GOATs, it must be requested once more: Is Dvalishvili the very best ever to compete at 135 kilos?
Ballot
Is Merab Dvalishvili the GOAT bantamweight?
For those who discover one thing you’d prefer to see within the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee or @JedKMeshew on Twitter and tell us about it. Additionally, observe MMAFighting on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and like us on Fb.
