Tom Aspinall says high contender declined interim title shot

Tom Aspinall was prepared to battle anybody, however when push got here to shove, mentioned Curtis Blaydes was the one one who reciprocated these emotions to the UFC.

Since Manchester was revealed because the UFC 304 location, battle followers have anticipated to see an Aspinall (14-3 MMA, 7-1 UFC) battle announcement related to the July 27 card. Thursday, UFC CEO Dana White formally introduced the bout, and Aspinall’s opponent, Blaydes (18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC).

“I’m in a little bit of a wierd conundrum with my division,” Aspinall mentioned in a video posted to his YouTube channel shortly after the announcement. “Normally, when the champ is coming again, the interim would clearly normally battle the champ. Jon Jones is holding sh*t up. Let’s be trustworthy. He’s taking part in video games. So it’s me and Curtis Blaydes.”

Whereas Aspinall didn’t point out the UFC ever proposed the Jones bout to him, he revealed Blaydes was not the promotion’s Plan A. In accordance with Aspinall, the UFC advised him they needed to e book him in opposition to Ciryl Gane. Aspinall mentioned he accepted, however Gane (12-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) didn’t.

“There’s just one extra accessible man, and that’s Ciryl Gane,” Aspinall mentioned. “The UFC needed me to battle Ciryl Gane. I mentioned OK. If the UFC needed me to do it, we are able to do it. I’m not bothered. I really feel like I’m champion of the world. I’m ranked No. 1 on the planet. I’ll battle anyone. You don’t have to speak me into something. UFC are my bosses. They need me to battle Ciryl Gane. Rely me in. That’s OK. We’ll do it. Ciryl, then again, he’s on the market doing a movie. Ciryl is on the market making an attempt to be the French Arnold Schwarzenegger proper now. And honest play to him. If he desires to do movies and be an actor, go forward and revel in your self, Ciryl. Go do your factor. Make some cash. Do it nonetheless you do it. However he didn’t take the battle. He needed to do his movie.”

Aspinall and Blaydes have met within the cage as soon as. In July 2022, Aspinall suffered a knee harm 15 seconds right into a foremost occasion showdown with Blaydes in London. The harm knocked him out of motion for a 12 months.

“We now have historical past,” Aspinall mentioned. “We’ve fought earlier than, granted it was 15 seconds and never an precise battle. I bought injured. Curtis takes a win. Now, it’s time to get a little bit of payback, so I’m very, very, very motivated for this one. If I’m not going to battle Jon, which clearly that’s not going to occur proper now, that is the perfect scenario. I’m very, very joyful. I’m very, very motivated for it. I’m going to place completely all the pieces into the coaching camp, completely all the pieces into the life-style. Yeah, I’m wanting ahead to it very a lot.”

“… UFC 304, a rematch with Curtis Blaydes in my hometown of Manchester, it’s going to be improbable, the twenty seventh of July. Be there.”

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