UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has given his take on the upcoming heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, and he’s siding with the reigning champion to retain his title at the expense of the former champ.
Speaking ahead of the event, which takes place on November 16 at Madison Square Garden, Aspinall said that age will be a crucial factor in the matchup as 37-year-old Jones faces 42-year-old Miocic for the heavyweight crown in New York.
“I don’t know if it’s anything tactical. I just think he’s younger and fresher than Stipe,” Aspinall told CasinoHawks.com.
“Stipe is around 43 years old and hasn’t fought in like four years. He got knocked out in his last fight and wasn’t looking very good in it, and that was years ago now.
“Surely Stipe – unless he’s some kind of physical freak of nature – can’t start getting physically better in his forties after being knocked out a few times and having a million fights? Who knows?
“Maybe he’s going to surprise us all, but from a logical perspective, I don’t think it’s really possible to improve physically in your early forties.”
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Tom Aspinall not expecting late call-up to fight at UFC 309
Aspinall is slated to be the designated backup fighter for the UFC 309 headliner and said that, while he’ll be ready if called upon, he doesn’t expect to be called into action at Madison Square Garden.
“I think they’ll do everything they can to make it to the fight, so I’m not getting my hopes up or anything,” he said.
“This is probably the last fight for both of them before they retire. They’ll make a lot of money, so I’m just doing my thing. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I’m happy either way.”
Being the backup fighter means he’ll be moving in similar circles to Jones and Miocic during fight week. And, while he and Jones have exchanged words on social media over recent months, Aspinall said he’ll keep it respectful and allow Jones the space he needs to ensure he’s ready to perform on fight night.
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“I’ll leave Jon to it. He’s got a big fight on his hands” he said.
“I’ll wish him all the best if I see him, but I’m respectful of his fight week. I’m leaning more towards Jon, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Stipe won either.
“I’d probably say it’s like 60-40 in favor of Jon. It would be a lot of fun if Stipe won. But I’ll be there for fight week, the build-up, and everything. I’ll definitely be there for that event.”
Tom Aspinall gives his prediction for Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov rematch
Aspinall also offered his take on the upcoming battle between rival heavyweight contenders Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov, who will face off in a rematch at UFC 310 on December 7 in Las Vegas.
“I think it’s a 50-50 fight,” he suggested.
“I know they fought before, and it was an absolute stinker. The first one was terrible!
“Since I fought Volkov, he’s improved a lot. He’s changed his training situation, and Gane has been inactive. Gane seems to fight once a year against opponents who suit him quite well.
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“It’s hard to say. Volkov has been very active. I think he fought four or five times since we fought a couple of years ago, which is a lot for an elite heavyweight.
“I still think it’s a close fight, though, because I believe Gane is very good and smart, but I think it’ll be a lot closer than the last one, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Volkov pulled it off.”
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