With the news of Jon Jones retiring and his subsequent promotion to undisputed UFC heavyweight champion status, Dana White has provided an update on when fans can expect to see Tom Aspinall compete again.
The British standout has spent over a year on the sidelines, awaiting a shot at then-champion Jones. Injuries and contract disputes left the 32-year-old in limbo, and while he never got his dream matchup, his career can resume moving forward after the retirement news.
Amid Jon Jones’ unfortunate departure from the sport, Dana White has given fans something to look forward to. White confirmed talks will take place with Aspinall soon to figure out who his next opponent will be.
“Tomorrow starts International Fight Week [and] I’ll be back in Vegas tonight,” White said. “Tom will be there all next week.”
“So, we’ll sit down with him, see what he’s thinking, what he wants to do. He’s been great through this whole thing and literally said, ‘I’ll fight whoever you guys tell me to fight. I’m ready to go.’ I’m looking forward to the Tom Aspinall era.”
According to White, Tom Aspinall will be tasked with defending his heavyweight strap sometime within the next year.
“Yeah, that’s what we were shooting for,” White stated regarding the possibility of Aspinall featuring at the Madison Square Garden event in November. “We were shooting for New York, yeah.”
“We’ve got to figure out the rest of the year. Aspinall is going to land somewhere there, yeah.”
Check out what Dana White had to say below.
Related: Jon Jones officially retires, Tom Aspinall new UFC heavyweight champion
Tom Aspinall has fought just once in the past 19 months, which isn’t a usual occurrence for the heavyweight.
Vowing to be an active champion, Aspinall took to social media to announce his intentions regarding his undisputed championship reign.
“For you fans. It’s time to get this heavyweight division going,” Aspinall said on social media. “An active undisputed champion.”
