Tom Aspinall has been gaining attention as he prepares for his return at UFC 304 this weekend. Fellow fighter Dan Hardy has even called Aspinall the “real” heavyweight champion, amidst all the controversy surrounding Jon Jones, the current heavyweight titleholder.
Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight title last November at Madison Square Garden. This weekend, he aims to be the first interim champion to defend his title successfully since Renan Barao. His opponent is Curtis Blaydes, in what promises to be an exciting rematch.
In his last fight, Aspinall took down the formidable Sergei Pavlovich in New York, despite the short notice. Aspinall hails from Atherton and has been eager to face Jon Jones in a highly anticipated unification bout. Besides Jones, Aspinall has shown interest in fighting light heavyweight star Alex Pereira, who was recently called out by boxing sensation Jake Paul.
Dan Hardy Makes Big Claim Ahead of Curtis Blaydes vs. Tom Aspinall at UFC 304
Dan Hardy has been vocal in his support for Aspinall, praising his skills and calling him the “real” heavyweight champion:
“Tom (Aspinall) on the feet is going to be a lot quicker than most people that Curtis Blaydes had to deal with,” Hardy said on Submission Radio. “And I also think one of the factors as well for Tom is his ability to strike in the clinch very quickly—you know, elbows to knees and vice versa when he’s defending takedowns are going to be really, really useful for him. It’s an interesting test for Tom. I think a lot of people have got their eyes on this as if it’s the real heavyweight championship.”
Hardy also pointed out the versatility in Aspinall’s game. “There are a few questions to ask around Tom Aspinall,” he said:
“We’ve seen various different parts of his game. We know how well-rounded he is, but if we’re breaking mixed martial arts down into three components, if you’ve got the grappling on the floor, you’ve got the wrestling in the middle, and then you’ve got the striking at distance, we know Tom is really good at two aspects of that.”
Hardy believes Aspinall’s striking skills will give him an edge against Blaydes, but acknowledges Blaydes’ strength in wrestling. This rematch is highly anticipated, with many considering it as the true test for Aspinall’s championship caliber.
As Aspinall steps into the octagon this weekend, fans and critics alike will be watching closely. Will he solidify his status as the “real” heavyweight champion, as Dan Hardy suggests? All eyes are on UFC 304 to see how this story unfolds.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images and Embed from Getty Images
