Tom Aspinall won the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC 295 in November by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich with punches. Since then, he has been vocal on social media about wanting to fight the undisputed champ to unify the titles. However, it seems unlikely that his calls for this fight will be answered.
Jon Jones, the current UFC heavyweight champion, is set to defend his belt against Stipe Miocic. This highly anticipated match is what the UFC is aiming for and, as a result, Aspinall’s hopes for a unification fight are fading.
This situation has raised questions about the purpose and value of an interim title when there is no clear path for unification. The decision to have Aspinall and Pavlovich compete for the interim title was somewhat arbitrary and has left Aspinall in a position where he may not get an opportunity to prove himself as the best heavyweight.
While it remains to be seen whether Aspinall will have the opportunity to defend the interim belt, it’s evident that the interim distinction does not hold much significance in terms of status or earnings. Despite the uncertainty, Aspinall is eager to demonstrate his abilities against top opponents like Jones or Miocic.
