Tom Aspinall vows to win UFC title in next decade, but shifts immediate focus on Curtis Blaydes
- Seb Sternik
- 13 July 2022
Becoming the UFC heavyweight champion is the long-term ambition for Tom Aspinall, but the Englishman is certainly not overlooking the threat posed by his next opponent.
Aspinall has made an impressive start to his UFC career, winning all five of his bouts inside the distance and showcasing his combination of power and formidable grappling skills.
Following his submission victory over Alexander Volkov in March, the attention has now shifted to beating Blaydes this weekend as the Brit looks to move into the top five of the heavyweight rankings.
Francis Ngannou is the current champion, but is currently inactive due to a major knee surgery. While the queue to fight the UFC's top dog is a lengthy one, Aspinall is adamant he will claim the title within the next decade.
"I believe one day I will be UFC champion at some point in the next 10 years before I retire," he said. "I'm not bothered about who fights who, how it plays out, who beats who, who wins and loses.
Tom Aspinall has ARRIVED 💪 #UFCLondon pic.twitter.com/GUVWxBCpW5
— UFC (@ufc) March 19, 2022
"All that stuff is irrelevant to me, I have a strong belief that I'm going to be UFC champion one day and it'll work itself out.
"I'm one of the most dangerous fighters in the UFC, I've got the best finishing record in the UFC and I've got different finishes from all different positions.
"I can win anywhere which is pretty rare, especially for heavyweights. I can finish the fight from literally any position."
Curtis Blaydes is no joke😳 pic.twitter.com/oJ9sO9twOd
— 2k follower account (@SmeshParker) February 19, 2021
In Blaydes, Aspinall takes on an experienced campaigner who has previously picked up wins over the likes of Junior dos Santos, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Chris Daukaus.
The only two men to get the better of Blaydes were the current UFC champion Ngannou and big-hitting Derrick Lewis.
Blaydes is a wrestler by trade and holds the record for the most takedowns in the organisation's history - 62. If that wasn't enough, the 31-year-old American also boasts 11 knockouts in 15 MMA wins.
