It is set to be a busy end to the Mixed Martial Arts schedule for 2024, and there are some keys bouts that fans will be looking forward to with relish as the October fight cards quickly move through Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) Los Angeles (United States of America) and Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).
We are then back in London (England) for Cage Warriors 180 for November and latterly New York (USA), and December’s offerings open up back in Las Vegas (USA) and for the middle of the month all eyes will by trained on Lyon (France).
One card that certainly stands out is November 16th’s Ultimate Fighting Championship 309 clash between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden arena, as they meet for the UFC heavyweight title. Jones is defending his belt as reigning UFC heavyweight champion against former champion Miocic, and it has now been confirmed that 31 year old, Salford (England) born, Tom Aspinall has now been installed as the replacement opponent should either Jones or Miocic be required to pull out and online betting would probably feature Aspinall quite highly in their available options given how things could turn out here.
UFC president Dana White has previously gone on record as saying that should the winner of this match up continue to fight, the Manchester based heavyweight challenger would be the next in line and have an opportunity to fight for the outright title, given his position as interim champion. Aspinall himself appeared the other day on The Ariel Helwani Show and spoke about how the division was effectively at a standstill right now until the Jones v Miocic fight had reached a conclusion, and he revealed that the paperwork on a deal had now been done and plans were in place for him to fight the winner, which backs up White’s previous statement.
Explaining a bit about the deal, Aspinall admitted it was basically a bit of a catch all agreement to account for different, so far unknown, outcomes. There was an option if one fighter wanted to retire and only one of them wanted to continue, an option for both wanting to retire – it was very much an ‘all bases covered’ arrangement.
For those more closely follow the two fighters in question, a catch all agreement is certainly the sensible way forward. 37 year old American, Jones, has repeatedly said during the build up to this fight that he is seriously considering retirement after his next bout, and Miocic turned 42 years old just last August, so he too will be naturally entertaining thoughts of hanging his gloves and shorts up.
12 months ago at UFC 295, Jones was also forced to withdraw from the previously scheduled Miocic fight owing to injury, and that was where Aspinall established himself as interim champion as he stepped in and took victory over Sergei Pavlovich instead. He defended that interim title last July against Curtis Blaydes in his hometown.
The fight as scheduled has attracted plenty of attention, but Aspinall’s involvement will certainly boost interest from England as there has never been an undisputed English heavyweight world champion since UFC was incepted – Aspinall is just the third fighter, after Leon Edwards and Michael Bisping to win a belt.
It may not be the way in which the 31-year-old wants to tick the undisputed box, but asked for what he felt was the most likely outcome, he felt both fighters were ‘probably most likely’ to announce their official retirements after the fight, and that would simply see up upgraded to undisputed heavyweight champion as a natural consequence.
We would then see who he faces next.
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