Tom Aspinall was up later than usual the night he found out he had been crowned the UFC’s new heavyweight champion.
Aspinall had just been for a meal with his wife and friends, and, as per standard procedure, began getting ready for bed when he returned home, until he received an unexpected phone call that would keep him up much later than expected.
Aspinall is expected to make his first title defence in OctoberGettyLittle did the Wigan native know, his boss, UFC CEO and President Dana White, had just announced one of his greatest-ever fighters, Jon Jones, had retired.
“My phone started ringing, it was my media guy, Charlie, who called me,” Aspinall explained to Ariel Helwani on Friday, walking the MMA journalist through the exact moment he found out ‘Bones’ had quit the sport, and ultimately walked away from a fight with him.
“I’m like, ‘Why is Charlie calling me at like midnight? What the hell’s going on?’” he added.
“So I answered it and I was like, ‘What’s up?’ I didn’t even say hello…
“[He said], ‘Dana’s just announced that you’re champion.’ I was like, ‘What? No way.’
“Anyway, we had a little chat, put the phone down. Hunter Campbell called me literally as I put the phone down… he said, ‘Look, we’ve announced the champion. Congratulations. We’ll talk more next week. Bye.’
“That was it pretty much.”
White’s announcement left several members of the MMA world frustrated.
Not only had the mega-fight between Jones and Aspinall not come to fruition, but the latter had received his undisputed status midway through the press conference of a non-pay-per-view Fight Night card in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Aspinall’s dad, Andy, wasn’t happy with the promotion, having told Uncrowned he ‘can’t think of a worse way’ they could’ve announced it.
Aspinall said he is ‘relieved’ to simply be fighting once againGetty Jones retired seven months after defending the heavyweight belt against Stipe MiocicGettyBut the champion is just happy to just let bygones be bygones as he prepares to put on the gloves again as soon as October.
“I was relieved,” Aspinall concluded.
“I was relieved that this was all over… I was never, ever, ever just chasing Jon Jones.
“And there was a lot of talk from people online and stuff, there were a lot of comparisons to [Michael] Chandler chasing [Conor] McGregor.
“Chandler was chasing McGregor because he wanted a big fight and he wanted some money. Basically. That’s what was happening there.
“I didn’t care about a big fight or money. I cared about the heavyweight title. That’s all I’ve ever been bothered about is recognition for being the best heavyweight walking around on planet earth.
“That’s all I ever wanted to do. So originally I’m just relieved that I can actually fight again. I think a lot of people don’t understand that.
“Look, I do some stuff in the media. I’ve got a YouTube channel. I do stuff across social media. I’ve got great sponsors and everything.
“But my job is fighting people and I haven’t been able to do that for almost a year for no reason other than the politics of the UFC.
“So I’m happy just to be able to fight again.”
Aspinall was speaking to Helwani in Las Vegas ahead of UFC 317.
Ilia Topuria faces Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight title in the main event from ‘Sin City,’ with Alexandre Pantoja defending his flyweight title against Kai Kara-France in the main event.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( ‘What’s going on?’ – Tom Aspinall details precise moment he found out Jon Jones had retired )
Also on site :