Tom Aspinall will be looking to defend the interim heavyweight title when he rematches Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event of UFC 304 in Manchester, England later this month, but as far as the UFC’s lead commentator Jon Anik is concerned he is the heavyweight champ.
“The interim belt is there because the undisputed title cannot be contested for whatever reason so as far as I’m concerned, Tom Aspinall is defending the heavyweight championship against a very capable and unheralded Curtis Blaydes,” Anik told MMAjunkie this week.
“I certainly am hopeful that the winner of that fight emerges relatively unscathed not just because my car’s waiting outside and the round one knockout is a broadcaster’s dream, but also because I’d like to see some pressure on this heavyweight division to move forward.”
Anik was keen to stress his concern that with current champion Jon Jones having been out for an extended period due to injury and Stipe Miocic now well into his 40’s after three years on the sidelines, the last thing the top-end of the division needs right now is any more long layoffs for the divisions biggest stars.
“Certainly a 25-minute war between Curtis Blaydes and Tom Aspinall [at UFC 304] that results in six months of recovery time wouldn’t be ideal for either party, nor would it be for MMA fans who want to see things expedited in this heavyweight division.
“It really is crazy to think about a Stipe Miocic who was 38 years old competing in there [vs Ngannou] and we’ll next see him when he’s 42. He’s sort of the least talked about component of this bracket right now but that seems crazy to me.”
As such Anik understands Aspinall’s recent frustrations at not having the chance to fight for the undisputed title yet, but at the same time he’s well aware of the reasons that Jones hasn’t been asked to vacate the title like 205lb champs Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill were in the past couple of years.
“Tom Aspinall is ready, willing and able to show the world that he can be the undisputed heavyweight champion and there are other guys like Curtis Blaydes who are ready to show that as well in their fighting prime, not wanting to waste any those prime months, let alone years.
“It’s tricky when the greatest mixed martial arts athlete of all time tears his peck because there’s not going to be a vacation of title and you’re certainly not going to strip the GOAT.”
