Tom Aspinall is set to become the first British fighter to compete for a version of the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Champion Jon Jones has pulled out of his scheduled title defence against Stipe Miocic after suffering a gruesome pectoral tear in training for the bout. Now that fight’s 11th November date will go to Aspinall’s history-making chance, as he faces Sergei Pavlovich for the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship.
Boxing has crowned numerous British world heavyweight champions over the years. Even the current WBC kingpin Tyson Fury hails from Manchester, England. But domestic MMA has been slower to anoint a British heavyweight boss.
Michael Bisping became the first British fighter to win a UFC belt when he sensationally stopped Luke Rockhold in a single round in 2016. The standard bearer for United Kingdom MMA, Bisping’s victory was a watershed moment for the domestic sport. Suddenly, a new generation had been shown that there was a path to the very top for British fighters.
Many more have joined the company and attempted to follow in his footsteps. Fighters like Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann and Arnold Allen are among the current generation of Brits in the company. But only one has emulated Bisping fully. Only one has matched ‘The Count’ in bringing home a UFC championship belt.
Birmingham’s Leon Edwards shocked the world in August 2022. A brutal head-kick knockout ended the reign of pound-for-pound candidate and UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ was put to sleep and, for the first time in six years, Britain could boast a UFC belt-holder once again.
Edwards remains the champion to this day, having retained his strap with a majority decision victory over Usman in their March rematch. Now he could be joined on the UFC roll of honour by a fellow countryman. Aspinall is preparing to go where no British heavyweight has gone before.
The UK doesn’t have the glittering heavyweight pedigree of many of its peers. But the very first fighter from these shores to compete in the UFC was in fact a heavyweight. Ian Freeman was a true pioneer, fighting for the promotion between 2000 and 2003. ‘The Machine’ had a record of 3-2-1 in the Octagon. Freeman also inflicted the very first career defeat of future heavyweight champion Frank Mir’s career.
Whatever happens on 11th November against Pavlovich, Aspinall will still take his place alongside Freeman and Bisping. A British fighter has never competed for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Even though this is the interim version, owing to what looks like a long-term injury for Jones, it remains special.
This is a chance Aspinall must have feared would never come. The Leigh-born knockout artist had won five from five in his UFC career going into a fight with Curtis Blaydes in July 2022. Hopes were high of success, particularly given the fact all Aspinall’s victories had come in side the distance. A win over the highly-ranked ‘Razor’ was supposed to take him to the cusp of a title shot. But disaster struck.
Just 15 seconds in to their main event at the O2 Arena in London, Aspinall collapsed to the canvas nursing a knee injury. Blaydes was handed the TKO victory and Aspinall’s title dream looked to be in tatters.
A year on the shelf followed as Aspinall fought simply for his right to fight. 364 days after his body had betrayed him, Tom was back in the Octagon at the O2. This time, everything went to plan. Aspinall emerged as a knockout victor against Marcin Tybura. The fact the fight was over in just 73 seconds demonstrated Aspinall’s catharsis.
Now the double-tough Pavlovich awaits. The Russian has big wins over Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa and Blaydes on his record. This will be some test for Aspinall. But it is a test he has been preparing for throughout his UFC career. The way Tom will view it, a year on the injured list was more than enough adversity. He’s coming for the crown.
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