Tom Aspinall has identified his potential next opponent following UFC 321. The heavyweight champion believes the winner of the bout between Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida is a likely contender. Aspinall, however, does not foresee a future fight with Jon Jones.
Aspinall Set for UFC 321 Title Defense
On Saturday, Aspinall will defend his UFC heavyweight championship for the first time against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi. It has been 14 months since Aspinall last competed, and he was previously considered a candidate to face Jones, widely regarded as one of the best UFC fighters ever.
Looking Ahead to Potential Opponents
Aspinall noted that he will look to the UFC 321 undercard to determine his next rival. He indicated that the matchup between Volkov and Almeida could set up his next fight.
- Current Rankings:
- Ciryl Gane – No. 2
- Alexander Volkov – No. 4
- Jailton Almeida – No. 6
“I think it’s pretty obvious that they’re going to do winners vs. winners,” Aspinall remarked. “The winner of us against the winner of them will be next for the heavyweight title.”
Previous Encounters
Aspinall has faced Volkov before, securing a submission victory in 2022. This adds an intriguing element to any potential rematch.
Jones and the Heavyweight Division
While Aspinall focuses on Gane and the upcoming fight, Jones has been mentioned as a potential opponent for Alex Pereira, who holds the No. 5 position in ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Aspinall expressed his thoughts on the difficulty of securing a fight with big-name opponents. “There are still guys who want it, just maybe not the bigger names,” he explained. He emphasized the importance of champions fighting their top contenders, saying, “If you are the guy, you fight the next guy, rinse and repeat.”
