‘Big’ John McCarthy believes Tom Aspinall will become the undisputed UFC heavyweight champion in 2025 — one way or another.
As it stands, Aspinall is sitting as the promotion’s interim titleholder which he won in November 2023 via a 69-second knockout of Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 295. Since then, Aspinall has defended the temporary title against Curtis Blaydes while waiting for undisputed king Jon Jones to settle his business with Stipe Miocic.
Now that ‘Bones’ has dispatched the consensus heavyweight GOAT, all signs point toward a title unification clash between Jones and Aspinall — a fight many believe will be the biggest bout in the division’s storied history.
Looking ahead to the new year and how things will play out for Aspinall, McCarthy “100%” believes that the Brit will trade in his interim title for undisputed gold in 2025, though he may not necessarily go through Jon Jones to do it.
“I have Tom Aspinall being the UFC heavyweight champion in the year 2025,” McCarthy said on his Weighin In podcast with co-host Josh Thomson. “Now that can happen one of two ways, Josh. It’s gonna happen. He’s going to face Jon Jones and he could be the first person to defeat Jon Jones.
“But if he doesn’t, I see Jon Jones stepping away from the sport and the UFC is gonna end up putting Tom Aspinall against somebody else and he’ll win the title that way. So he’s gonna end up being the UFC champion, heavyweight champion – undisputed champion – in the year 2025.”
Dana White GUARANTEES “100%” that Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall will happen 👀
🎥 @ufc #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/uZrcrU9DKs
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 15, 2024
Josh Thomson Backs Tom Aspinall to Go From Interim to Undisputed in 2025
Offering his take, Josh Thomson also believes Aspinall will achieve undisputed status this year, though he is confident that it’ll come by beating ‘Bones’ and not through some other means as McCarthy suggested.
“Tom Aspinall beats Jon Jones,” Thomson said. “I’m just gonna come out and say it. I think the size, the speed. He’s got the power and the ability off his back. I think one area that Jon Jones has the advantage is the wrestling. I know Aspinall can wrestle, but the craftiness of Jones, the ability to wrestle, but also getting older makes it harder for Jones to wrestle.
“But I’m gonna start off with my first prediction for 2025 being that if that fight happens, Aspinall beats Jon Jones.”
Dana White GUARANTEES “100%” that Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall will happen 👀
🎥 @ufc #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/uZrcrU9DKs
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) December 15, 2024
No official date has been announced for their long-awaited clash, but UFC CEO Dana White has all but confirmed that the fight will happen.
Watch the full episode below:
https://www.youtube.com/live/Mp-xgSHSLzk
