“I showed up when,” Tom Aspinall asserts active champion status eagerly targeting Jon Jones for undisputed title showdown

UFC star Tom Aspinall is the interim heavyweight champion, who expressed his intent to take out Jon Jones.

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Tom Aspinall is the interim UFC heavyweight champion. He recently expressed his desire to fight Jon Jones. Jones recently backed out of his first heavyweight title defense due to injury.

Tom Aspinall stated that he was waiting for a chance at Jones’ undisputed title. In a recent conversation with Oscar Willis, Aspinall said: 

I showed up when the real champion didn't show up. I'm the active champion. Jon Jones isn't active right now... If he retires it's mine. I'm definitely a version of the champion right now but I want to fight the actual champion.

However, Tom Aspinall is still second in line behind Stipe Miocic. Their fight was scheduled to take place at UFC 295 earlier this November at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Stipe Miocic has the most victories in UFC heavyweight title fights.

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He also has the longest title defense streak in UFC heavyweight history, with three consecutive defenses. Additionally, Miocic has the most fight night bonus awards in UFC heavyweight history, totaling nine accolades.

Aspinall has also called for Jones to be stripped of his heavyweight title. He also called for Jones to vacate his belt so he could keep the division moving. Meanwhile, he expressed his willingness to participate in a boxing match to stay active.

Tom Aspinall ready for a boxing match while waiting to take on Jon Jones

Tom Aspinall is the interim heavyweight champion. Despite that, he was open to the idea of a boxing match to stay active while waiting for Jon Jones to return to the octagon.

Tom Aspinall
Tom Aspinall boxing (Image via Imago)

Aspinall’s comments came after he won the interim heavyweight title by knocking out Pavlovich at UFC 295. He suggested that he would love to lace up the boxing gloves if he was forced to wait for Jon Jones to come back.

Aspinall believes that he should fight Stipe Miocic instead. Then the winner would face Jones when he came back. This is because Jones is expected to be sidelined for at least eight months after needing surgery for a torn pectoral muscle. Aspinall further stated that he wants to be active and healthy and if he can pass that with the UFC, he will do that.

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