Daniel Cormier, a former UFC champion in two weight classes, believes that Tom Aspinall needs to adopt a different strategy if he aims to secure a fight against Jon Jones. Aspinall's performance in the co-main event of UFC 304, held at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England, has bolstered his case for a title shot against Jones.
In front of a home crowd, Aspinall defended his interim heavyweight title in a rematch with Curtis Blaydes. This bout was not only an opportunity for his first title defense but also a chance for redemption after a previous loss to Blaydes due to injury in 2022. Aspinall quickly achieved both, knocking Blaydes down with a precise jab and finishing the fight with ground-and-pound within the first minute.
After the match, Aspinall respectfully called out Jones, but Cormier believes that a more aggressive approach might be necessary. Cormier suggests that Aspinall should abandon his polite demeanor and actively try to provoke Jones.
Cormier's Advice: Stir Up Some Drama
In a video on his YouTube channel, Cormier discussed the UFC 304 events from his perspective at the arena. He mentioned that during his interview with Aspinall, it became clear that if Aspinall wants to face the former light heavyweight champion, he might need to start creating some tension and drama.
“This guy seems to be the future and the present of the heavyweight division,” Cormier said. “You know, Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic are gonna fight each other, and deservedly so. … When they get to New York and they fight, Tom Aspinall needs to be in the building, if he’s smart.
“I watched him finish, I watched the way the crowd reacted to him, and I watched his callout to Jon Jones. And in Tom Aspinall fashion, he was nice about it,” Cormier continued. “He needs to rile up Jones a little bit to get the people more invested. … I have seen the crowd get so behind a certain person that the organization will pivot. … Maybe they’ll pivot and make Aspinall vs. Jones right now. We don’t know…but Aspinall has to get a little bit louder.”
Jones reacted briefly to Aspinall's victory at UFC 304 and his subsequent challenge on social media. According to sources, despite the Briton's impressive display, it did not persuade "Bones" or the UFC to reconsider their anticipated title fight scheduled for November.
Supply and demand at its finest, I love it.
— BONY (@JonnyBones) July 28, 2024
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