Tom Aspinall continues to show that he just might be the best heavyweight in the UFC. Now, all he needs is a chance to fight for the undisputed title.
In the co-main event of UFC 304 on Saturday, Aspinall (15-3) needed just 60 seconds to defend his interim heavyweight championship and redeem the only loss of his UFC career to date. Aspinall, 31, finished perennial contender Curtis Blaydes via strikes in the first round of a rematch of their meeting in 2022, which Blaydes (18-5) won in 15 seconds after Aspinall injured his knee.
Aspinall, a native of Safford who was fighting on home soil in Manchester, England, improved to 3-0 since the defeat while maintaining a 100% finishing rate for his career. He also called his shot after the fight in the form of Jon Jones, the UFC heavyweight king who has teased retirement following his expected November showdown with former champion Stipe Miocic, which will come one full year after Jones was sidelined with an injury.
“I’m the best finisher in the UFC. If I smell blood, that’s it. You’re done,” Aspinall said. “I just spoke to the bossman [UFC CEO Dana White], who wants to see Tom Aspinall versus Jon Jones?
“Hello Jon, I have nothing against you personally but I just think I’m better than you. I just know I can beat you in a fight so I’m coming for it.”
Blaydes, 33, traded punches on even terms with Aspinall in the early going until a stiff jab wobbled the Illinois native. Aspinall followed with a grazing right hand that dropped Blaydes and set the stage for a flurry of punches from top position that forced referee Marc Goddard to end the fight at 1:00 of the opening round despite immediate protest from Blaydes.
“First of all, I just want to say massive congratulations and respect to Curtis, what a human being this guy is,” Aspinall said. “I had nothing against him personally but we needed to put that one to bed. Before, there was a freak accident. And I got my revenge, thank God.”
Aspinall, who has never fought past the second round in any of his 18 pro fights, delivered an inspirational message to the crowd after the fight.
“I’m a normal person from a normal family in a normal home just like all you people. Sometimes, normal people can do extraordinary things and I am proof of it. Don’t hold back, just f—ing go for it.”
Elsewhere, the main event saw the biggest upset of the night when Belal Muhammad take down welterweight champion Leon Edwards to claim the title. The win scored a spot of revenge for Muhammad, who first met Edwards in 2021 on short notice and suffered a nasty eye poke early in the fight. The accidental foul was bad enough that Muhammad told officials he could not see and the fight was deemed a no contest.
On Saturday, Muhammad executed a perfect gameplan of outgrappling the bigger man over five rounds and taking control from the jump. Muhammad is now unbeaten in his last 11 appearances in the Octagon and has a host of contenders hoping to get their shot.
