In a Sunday morning walkthrough following UFC 316, Tom Aspinall shared his thoughts on the latest developments in the UFC, including some exciting personal news regarding his relationship with Dana White. The British heavyweight contender has been vocal about his readiness to face any challenger, maintaining an open-door policy that has defined his career.
Aspinall, discussing the previous night’s event in Newark, New Jersey, broke down the dominant performance of Merab Dvalishvili over Sean O’Malley in their bantamweight championship rematch. He praised Merab‘s relentless style, noting how the champion’s unique approach of “diving in with wild punches” and attempting “25 takedowns per round” proved too much for O’Malley.
“How do you fight a guy like that?” Aspinall questioned. “Sean O’Malley loves space, but when Merab is diving in and out consistently, one minute he’s punching, then he’s got hold of the leg, then he’s getting you down… after round two, in all honesty, Sean O’Malley just didn’t seem to really want to be there.”
The most intriguing moment came when Aspinall addressed recent comments from UFC President Dana White. With perfect timing as rain began pouring down during his outdoor walk, Aspinall smiled and stated, “Dana White saying Tom Aspinall is his man as it rains and pours on us. Literally couldn’t be perfect timing.”
Aspinall then hinted at significant news on the horizon: “I think a lot of people come out and they see what I’ve said and they think it’s some kind of media stuff. Listen, I don’t do that kind of stuff. If I’m going to come out and say something, it’s going to be informed information.”
He continued, “Dana White says I’m his man. We love that. We love that on the channel. And I’m going to go and prove that pretty soon. So it’s coming. There will be some news. There will be an announcement. Just stick around. You’ll see.”
When asked about potentially fighting Francis Ngannou, Aspinall maintained his open attitude toward all challengers: “The day that I start ducking out of fights and turning opponents down is the day that I’m going to retire. I’ll fight anyone, I’ll fight anytime, and I’ll fight anywhere. Never turned down a fight in my life. Never will.”
Dana White’s Stance on Jones, Aspinall and Ngannou
In a post-fight press conference following UFC 316, UFC President Dana White addressed several hot topics, particularly the ongoing saga between heavyweight champion Jon Jones, interim champion Tom Aspinall, and former champion Francis Ngannou.
White confirmed that despite recent social media activity from Jones suggesting he might vacate his title or pursue other fights, the UFC is still planning for Jones to face interim champion Tom Aspinall. “If he doesn’t fight because he also called out Francis Ngannou. He said he’d rather fight Francis, which I did, John,” White acknowledged when asked about Jones‘ recent tweets.
When pressed about whether Jones might be avoiding Aspinall, White was diplomatic: “Listen, if the guy wants to retire and doesn’t want to fight, nothing you do.” However, White made a definitive statement later in the press conference, saying: “Jon Jones agreed to do the fight. Jon Jones was offered the deal and accepted the deal.”
White was clear about who should be next for Jones: “Tom Aspinall is the guy. He’s the guy.” He added that they’ve “been talking to this kid forever about it and it’s his fight,” reaffirming the UFC’s position that Aspinall is the rightful challenger for Jones’ heavyweight championship.
When asked about Jones’ apparent interest in fighting Francis Ngannou instead of Aspinall, White quickly dismissed the possibility: “I don’t have
