Tom Aspinall has faced periods on the sidelines before, but his current situation differs significantly as there is no clear timeline for his next fight.
His only UFC defeat occurred on July 23, 2022, in London, just fifteen seconds into a main event against Curtis Blaydes, when his knee gave out. This injury temporarily halted Aspinall`s rapid ascent through the heavyweight ranks. He made a successful return almost exactly one year later, securing a 73-second knockout victory over Marcin Tybura. In his very next fight, Aspinall captured the interim title by defeating Sergei Pavlovich even faster.
Since claiming the interim belt, Aspinall has defended it once, successfully avenging his loss to Blaydes this past July. He has also made it clear his primary goal is to fight the undisputed champion, Jon Jones. Jones, a former light heavyweight king, won the vacant heavyweight title by beating Ciryl Gane after Francis Ngannou`s departure from the UFC. He was then expected to defend it against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, a bout originally booked a year prior but postponed due to an injury suffered by Jones.
Speaking on Demetrious Johnson`s *MightyCast* podcast, Aspinall compared the mental challenges of this current inactive period to his year-long recovery from his knee injury.
Aspinall explained that after his major injury, he was at a crossroads despite having earned enough money to buy a house. The experience of getting injured in front of a live crowd was devastating. The recovery process, including rehab and physiotherapy, was tough and took a full year. However, he noted that the most difficult mental period lasted only a couple of months. This was because he always had clear, achievable goals set by his doctors and physios – instructions like specific gym exercises, jumping requirements, running distances, and timelines for starting boxing or grappling. He always had a concrete objective to work towards. Once he was able to get back in the gym after a couple of months on the couch, he felt great and motivated. He felt confident about returning injury-free, winning the championship, becoming a legend, and knocking out opponents. He felt very positive about his recovery journey.
While recovering from injuries to his MCL and meniscus, Aspinall knew the path back would be long, but it was clearly marked with tangible benchmarks. In contrast, his wait for a fight with Jon Jones has now stretched for over a year, despite the common assumption that the undisputed champion would readily accept a unification bout with the interim titleholder.
However, that fight has not materialized.
Aspinall stated that he`s been inactive for almost a year with no clear prospects other than simply waiting. He finds this period mentally trickier than his injury layoff. During his recovery, people checked on him, but he felt fine because he had things to anticipate – the doctor`s instructions for activities in two weeks or the ability to start grappling in two months. He consistently had small goals. Now, the only instruction is essentially, “Just be ready and we`ll let you know,” providing no specific timeline or milestones.
He described the mental difficulty of this waiting game, calling it the “tricky bit” of the potential fight against Jon Jones. It requires him to stay focused and motivated, which he admits is tough at times.
Aspinall has repeatedly said he doesn`t blame Jones if his reluctance to fight again is primarily for financial reasons, especially considering the longtime light heavyweight great likely has only a few fights left in his career.
Regardless of how the situation plays out, Aspinall hopes it results in him holding the undisputed heavyweight belt.
He reiterated his complete understanding of Jon`s perspective. For Aspinall, the title is the only thing that truly matters. He fully understands Jones`s point of view and what others are saying, but his personal motivation is simply to prove he is the best.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely