Tom Aspinall is finally the one and only UFC heavyweight champion. During the UFC Baku post-fight press conference, company president Dana White revealed that Jon Jones had retired, relinquishing his title. It marks the end of a wait that began in November 2023 and lasted more than a year.
No longer will Aspinall carry the stigma of being an “interim” champion. He is now the real deal, the true king. Nevertheless, every champion needs a challenger, and who has the best case?
The first and most obvious name that comes to mind is fellow former interim champion Ciryl Gane. The Frenchman is currently on a two-win streak, although the last one was a controversial split decision against Alexander Volkov in a rematch that many thought he lost.
Should this fight be booked, it will represent an intriguing clash of styles. Gane is a sniper on the feet, preferring to confound his opponents from a distance with methodical kicks and punches. Meanwhile, Aspinall is a wrecking ball who has never gone the distance in his entire career, with all his last three wins coming by way of (T)KO.
It is one of the biggest fights that the UFC can book, but another even bigger one may be on the horizon…
Just a few days before he retired, Jones had shared his thoughts on now-fellow former champion Francis Ngannou appearing inside the Octagon again:
“I think Dana gets things done. I think business speaks before emotions, and if Francis presents himself in a humble way, I think he could very easily be back in the UFC… Dana White – he’s one of the best sports minds in recent history for a reason. And money talks, Francis brings eyes. And I’m sure Dana will be interested.”
It is worth noting that Ngannou left the UFC in 2023 amid a contract dispute. He has competed in MMA only once since then, having largely focused on boxing and his executive role in the PFL. Nevertheless, with a top draw now possibly gone from the sport forever, White may have to try mending his bridges and convince “The Predator” to return.
Aspinall vs. Ngannou may very well be the one fight that brings interest and attention back to a once-prosperous heavyweight division.
There are many reasons to be optimistic about Aspinall’s reign. At only 32 years of age, he is young for a heavyweight. It is conceivable that he can become his division’s longest-reigning champion, surpassing Stipe Miocic in terms of both most defenses and the longest title reign.
With the last remaining obstacle to his status now gone, however, he has much work to do to restore stability to a title that has seen much chaos lately. A proper defense will be the first step towards achieving that goal, regardless of who his opponent is.
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