By Tom Aspinall retained the UFC interim heavyweight championship with a first-round knockout of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 in Manchester. Aspinall floored Blaydes with a right hand and finished him off with a series of punches, ending the fight in just one minute. Following his victory, Aspinall called out Jon Jones for a unification bout, expressing confidence in his ability to defeat the MMA legend.
Jones, who has been sidelined since March 2023 due to a torn pectoral tendon, is expected to defend his title against Stipe Miocic before potentially facing Aspinall. Aspinall’s win sets the stage for a highly anticipated matchup with Jones, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.
In other fights at UFC 304, Belal Muhammad won the welterweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Leon Edwards. Muhammad, who has not lost since 2019, relished his win in Edwards’ home country. Liverpool native Paddy Pimblett also secured a victory, submitting Bobby Green in the first round and calling for main event fights in the lightweight division.
Aspinall’s victory marks his 12th career knockout win, further solidifying his reputation as one of the best finishers in the UFC.
