UFC Manchester: Briton Tom Aspinall says Curtis Blaydes “ideal” opponent

Tom Aspinall says Curtis Blaydes is the “ideal fight” for him if he cannot face UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

The Englishman meets American Blaydes in a rematch of their July 2022 encounter which saw Aspinall suffer a serious knee injury after just 15 seconds.

Aspinall, 31, returned from that setback to become interim champion last November in the absence of the injured reigning champion, Jones.

“I feel like if I’m not fighting Jon Jones, this is the ideal fight for me,” Aspinall told BBC Sport.

“It almost puts all that to bed for me after I win this one.

“Even though I feel like I’ve moved on already. I’ve gone on to recover, win fights, win a title since then but I feel like it’s something I want to put behind me once and for all.”

Aspinall needed an entire year to recover from the knee injury.

He made short work of Marcin Tybura in his comeback before stepping in at two weeks’ notice to fight Sergei Pavlovich for the interim belt.

The Manchester native has been campaigning for a fight with Jones since then, but the American champion, 36, has repeatedly dismissed the possibility and says he will fight Stipe Miocic on his return from injury later this year.

French former interim champion Ciryl Gane also reportedly turned down the opportunity to fight Aspinall.

“The state of the heavyweight division isn’t great,” said the Briton. “I think that’s pretty obvious. I’m here to fight people.

“Jon Jones, most people think he’s one of the best guys to ever do it. So obviously I want my chance to test myself against him.

“He, on the other hand, isn’t too keen on it, but I’m going to keep pushing for it until I either get that fight or he vacates the title and I get the full version of the title.”