Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

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Tom Aspinall Ready To Start His Reign In The Division As He Reveals Finalizing His First Title Defence

Tom Aspinall reveals his intention to take on the remaining 4 Top 10 heavyweights soon; reveals he has his next opponent!

Nov 11, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Tom Aspinall (blue gloves) reacts to beating Sergei Pavlovich (red gloves) during UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Aspinall has been waiting for this moment his entire career. The Manchester native has always been considered one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the world. His explosive striking and slick grappling made him a nightmare matchup for anyone. But there was always one problem standing in his way: Jon Jones. Jones barely fought, rarely defended his title, and seemed more interested in Twitter beef than actual beef with contenders.

Now everything has changed in the most dramatic way possible. Jones shocked the MMA world by retiring last month. Aspinall, who many fans already considered the real champion, officially became the undisputed heavyweight champion. After months of frustration and political games, Aspinall can finally focus on defending his undisputed title.

Tom Aspinall Has An Ambitious Plan To Dominate The Top 10

Aspinall isn’t thinking small when it comes to his championship reign. The 31-year-old has set himself an incredibly ambitious goal. He wants to fight four times in the next 12 months and beat every single fighter in the heavyweight top 10. This isn’t just talk from a new champion trying to sound tough. Aspinall has already done serious damage to the division’s elite ranks.

Looking at his recent record, Aspinall has already beaten six fighters currently ranked in the top 10. His victims include Sergei Pavlovich, who he knocked out cold at UFC 295. Alexander Volkov, Curtis Blaydes, Marcin Tybura, and Serghei Spivac have all felt his power. That’s more than half the division’s best fighters already crossed off his list. His plan is simple. He intends to fight three or four more times by the end of 2026 and finish what he started.

“I’d like to do four [fights] in the next 12 months. If you look at the top ten, I have beaten 6 of them. My goal is to beat ten of the top ten. I wanna beat all ten.My goal is at least three [fights], maybe four, between now and like the end of 2026,” said Aspinall during a recent interview on One on One.

Tom Aspinall wants four fights in the next 12 months! 🏆🔥

(via One on One) pic.twitter.com/X36kEVBlaE
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) July 3, 2025

The remaining contenders, including Jailton Almeida, Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Derrick Lewis, and Tai Tuivasa are all potential targets. Each brings different challenges, but Aspinall has shown he can adapt to any fighting style. His combination of youth, skill, and hunger makes him a dangerous puzzle that these veterans will struggle to solve!

Tom Aspinall Reveals His Next Mystery Opponent

Aspinall recently dropped some exciting news that has fans buzzing with anticipation. After weeks of speculation and behind-the-scenes negotiations, he revealed that his first official title defense is locked and loaded. Speaking with Adam Catterall, the champion couldn’t hide his excitement about getting back to work.

“Meetings have been done and I now have a fight…We’ve got a date, we’ve got an opponent to work towards.”

🚨 Tom Aspinall says he's met with the UFC and has an opponent and date set for his next fight 👀

"Meetings have been done and I now have a fight…

We've got a date, we've got an opponent to work towards."

(via One on One) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/xKPvDTE6IE
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 3, 2025

While he’s keeping the details under wraps for now, the MMA rumor mill is working overtime. Most experts expect French striker Ciryl Gane to get the first shot at Aspinall’s crown. Gane represents a fascinating stylistic matchup with his technical striking and movement.

Aspinall’s eagerness to fight shows how different he is from his predecessor. This new energy at the top of the division is exactly what heavyweight fans have been craving. The championship belt is finally in the hands of someone who actually wants to use it.

(Image Credit: Wendell Cruz – Imagn Images)

Tom Aspinall

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!