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Jon Jones marked his return from injury with a third-round stoppage win over two-time former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic, retiring the 42-year-old future Hall of Famer following a dominant display but one raising questions about his suitability to face interim titleholder Tom Aspinall in 2025. Elsewhere, there were contrasting main card victories for Charles Oliveira and Bo Nickal… Continue reading “UFC 309: Jones retires Miocic with R3 TKO, Oliveira again haunts Chandler in co-main”
Almost a year to the day since their original matchup was scheduled and shelved after a pectoral muscle tear, UFC heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones finally faces two-time former titleholder Stipe Miocic in an encounter no-one asked for – yet we’re getting it nonetheless – while interim champion Tom Aspinall will watch cageside after defending his status against Curtis Blaydes in late July. Continue reading “UFC 309: Oh yeah, Jon Jones returns again this weekend… but Stipe’s an easy target”
#8 ranked UFC heavyweight Marcin Tybura headlines this weekend’s under-the-radar Fight Night card in a Serghei Spivac rematch and the Pole, who was another of Tom Aspinall’s quick victims last year, revealed his surprise at the Brit’s latest stoppage win over longtime contender Curtis Blaydes. Continue reading “Tybura: UFC interim champ Aspinall proved he’s most dangerous heavyweight”
Belal Muhammad boxed brilliantly, utilised suffocating pressure and recorded a new career-high takedown count to overwhelm Leon Edwards and snatch UFC welterweight gold from the Birmingham resident on an exceedingly late Manchester night to cap a busy PPV card. Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and rising lightweight Paddy Pimblett logged first-round finishes prior. Continue reading “UFC 304: Muhammad mauls Edwards to win gold, Aspinall avenges Blaydes blip”
Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler was set to headline UFC 303 this weekend, before the former withdrew with a broken toe injury earlier this month. Two-division champion Alex Pereira has again stepped into the breach to save the card and is aware time isn’t on his side, another motivating factor for his refreshing activity as he prepares for a short-notice Jiri Prochazka rematch. Continue reading “UFC 303: Alex Pereira aware of his activity timeline, adds another short-notice save”
Magomed Ankalaev in another title defence? Going up another division to challenge Tom Aspinall at heavyweight? There are options aplenty for reigning UFC light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, after making quick work of Jamahal Hill at a historic UFC 300 card earlier this month. If you ask the 36-year-old though, he’s not too fussed on who or when – but wants continuity. Continue reading “Alex Pereira open to various possibilities, wants activity after early night at UFC 300”
Although UFC chief Dana White today reaffirmed a desire to rebook Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic for the full heavyweight title next summer once Jones has fully healed after surgery on a torn pectoral tendon, new interim champion Tom Aspinall doesn’t want to wait a year to get the dream fight he’s been longing for against the two-division titlist. Ultimately, he might have no choice though… Continue reading “UFC 295: Aspinall appreciates Jones’ niceties, wants dream fight opportunity”
Relive my live fight-by-fight commentary as UFC 295 unfolded from New York’s Madison Square Garden overnight, with Manchester’s Tom Aspinall looking to score interim heavyweight gold – on short-notice no less – against the fearsome finisher Sergei Pavlovich in the night’s co-main event before former champions Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira did battle for the vacant light-heavyweight title.
Continue reading “UFC 295: Relive live commentary as Pereira becomes two-division champion, after Aspinall wins interim HW gold”
Thrust into the new co-main slot for UFC 295 next month after news of reigning champion Jon Jones’ serious injury surfaced overnight, the #4 ranked heavyweight will look to win interim gold vs. a dangerous opponent in Sergei Pavlovich on November 11. All things considered, taking the chance without ample preparation time is brave but hasn’t aged well for many of late… Continue reading “Tom Aspinall looking to succeed where others have fallen short with UFC 295 spot”
Former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane picked his strikes well and showed improved takedown defence in an assertive R2 TKO win over Serghei Spivac, a year after successfully headlining a similarly raucous Accor Arena. What about Rose Namajunas’ flyweight debut, or the resurgence of Volkan Oezdemir? Read on, for five thoughts from Saturday’s Fight Night card. Continue reading “UFC Paris 2: Five big takeaways, as Gane gets what he ordered in Spivac stoppage”
Having made the necessary changes within his entourage and learning some painful lessons after Jon Jones humbled him in just two minutes to become the new UFC heavyweight champion in March, former interim titlist Ciryl Gane wants to produce a masterclass showing on his Paris return vs. Serghei Spivac – a year on from a back-and-forth battle with Tai Tuivasa, one he won via R3 TKO. Continue reading “UFC Paris 2: After being humbled by Jones, Gane targets Spivac masterclass on return”
12 months after his Curtis Blaydes matchup was cruelly cut short by a serious knee injury, Tom Aspinall again announced himself as a serious player in the heavyweight division after making short work of perennial contender Marcin Tybura in the UFC London card on July 22. Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic is set for November, and the 30-year-old has his sights set on securing a title shot soon. Continue reading “UFC London: Rewind back to Aspinall’s rapid return, a R1 TKO win vs. Tybura”
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