Tom Aspinall: How I’m mentally different from #UFC321 foe Ciryl Gane

[WoozyFailGuy]

He better smoke Gane or it'll look terrible. 10 minutes or less.

 

[Poirierfan]

That's crazy.

 

[TeenageMutantLesnarTurtle]

because he didn't want to defend his Interim again.

To be fair, the concept of having to defend an interim belt even once, let alone multiple times, is pretty ridiculous.

 

[SamuraiBro]

Tom is a good dude, exciting and seems committed. Hard to dislike him. Glad he’s champ

 

[Gregoire1]

Yes, Asp is different - he is frontrunner.

Gane dec.

 

[AndrewGolota48]

Honey Badger is blatantly jealous that Gane is a movie star.

 

[fendertach]

The big thing is Aspinall has never faced real adversity. He's never been in 5 round fight so we can see what he's really made of. He's still never faced an elite caliber fighter, because there is none at heavyweight in 2025. First time we saw him face any adversity vs Blaydes 1 he immediately wilted. " But that's because he destroys everyone he fights" so did Shane Carwin before he met that pro wrestler dude.

 

[ThaiSexPills]

I really like Tom but this is kind of silly. Yes Cyril took time off to film a movie but at least he was getting paid. Tom took over a year off for FREE to rally for a TS and film Youtube video's because he didn't want to defend his Interim again. At least Cyril was getting paid to take the time off, mean while Tom voluntarily did so for FREE.

Why should an interim champ defend even once when there’s a “real” champ? And ok, he did and that’s pretty much uncharted territory on its own but twice? Nah.

 

[Pequeño Corey]

I really like Tom but this is kind of silly. Yes Cyril took time off to film a movie but at least he was getting paid. Tom took over a year off for FREE to rally for a TS and film Youtube video's because he didn't want to defend his Interim again. At least Cyril was getting paid to take the time off, mean while Tom voluntarily did so for FREE.

Yea Tom played himself waiting for Jon imo. Miss me with the "But but the UFC told him it was happening" BS. No one on sherdog believed it was happening. Not sure how him, his team, and his overly vocal Daddy couldn't put two and two together.

When it comes to Conor/Chandler, we're quick to blame Chandler (and rightfully so), but when it comes to Tom, it's alllllll Jon's fault for stringing him along. Gtfo. Dude could have gotten one or two of the Jailton, Volk, Cortex type guys out of the way while waiting for Jon to make up his mind.

 

[mkess101]

He chose to sit out because he was under the impression that Dana would get Jon to fight. Turns out it wasn't the right choice, but Tom wanted to unify the belts.

He didn't even "choose". A fighter has to be offered fights in order to fight. They never offered him an alternative opponent. They paid him to wait for Jones.

 

[mkess101]

Yea Tom played himself waiting for Jon imo. Miss me with the "But but the UFC told him it was happening" BS. No one on sherdog believed it was happening. Not sure how him, his team, and his overly vocal Daddy couldn't put two and two together.

When it comes to Conor/Chandler, we're quick to blame Chandler (and rightfully so), but when it comes to Tom, it's alllllll Jon's fault for stringing him along. Gtfo. Dude could have gotten one or two of the Jailton, Volk, Cortex type guys out of the way while waiting for Jon to make up his mind.

Who was Aspinall offered as an alternative opponent then? All reports are that the UFC paid Aspinall to wait and never offered him to defend the interim vs anyone else.

 

[mkess101]

Honey Badger is blatantly jealous that Gane is a movie star.

Your hatred of a guy who doesn't know you exist is palpable. Pretty weird TBH.

 

[Pequeño Corey]

Who was Aspinall offered as an alternative opponent then? All reports are that the UFC paid Aspinall to wait and never offered him to defend the interim vs anyone else.

Well hey if he got paid for not fighting, then that's dandy. He got paid 200K as a backup to Jones/Stipe, but nothing other than that has been confirmed. It would be another 6 months before Jon was stripped.

To your question:

-UFC wanted the Jon fight. He's the upside in terms marketability and name value. Tom was very transparently open to this fight and was content to wait for it. The answer to your question is obvious. I think the question you need to ask is; Why would matchmakers deviate from the plan and offer him something else?

My question is; should Tom have waited? He could have called someone else out or pushed for another match, but instead, he showed up to events with a toy duck and gave Jon more exposure and attention by talking about him on social media and in interviews. Tom kept Jon in the conversation by constantly talking about him.

I can't say "when" would have been an appropriate time for Tom to abandon hope of the Jon fight, but I think we all knew Jon was pricing himself out when he said he wanted "fuck you" money. It still blows my mind that Tom and his team couldn't interpret that for what it was.

 

[mkess101]

Well hey if he got paid for not fighting, then that's dandy. He got paid 200K as a backup to Jones/Stipe, but nothing other than that has been confirmed. It would be another 6 months before Jon was stripped.

To your question:

-UFC wanted the Jon fight. He's the upside in terms marketability and name value. Tom was very transparently open to this fight and was content to wait for it. The answer to your question is obvious. I think the question you need to ask is; Why would matchmakers deviate from the plan and offer him something else?

My question is; should Tom have waited? He could have called someone else out or pushed for another match, but instead, he showed up to events with a toy duck and gave Jon more exposure and attention by talking about him on social media and in interviews. Tom kept Jon in the conversation by constantly talking about him.

I can't say "when" would have been an appropriate time for Tom to abandon hope of the Jon fight, but I think we all knew Jon was pricing himself out when he said he wanted "fuck you" money. It still blows my mind that Tom and his team couldn't interpret that for what it was.

Here's the problem with that line of thinking:
Aspinall was being told by his multi billion dollar employer the entire time to sit tight and the Jones fight would get made. UFC contracts are written that fighters either must be offered x number of fights per year, OR be compensated as though they were given those fights. So logic tells us that yes, Aspinall was in fact compensated to wait. We aren't gonna get some sort of press release disclosing that compensation, but we DAMN sure would know if he was offered an alternative opponent and turned it down.

Essentially, you're asking a guy who just wants the undisputed belt to what? Draw a line in the sand to the UFC about getting him in the cage to defend an interim belt for the 2nd time?? C'mon man lmao.

 

[VinceArch]

He didn't even "choose". A fighter has to be offered fights in order to fight. They never offered him an alternative opponent. They paid him to wait for Jones.

I'm talking between waiting to fight Jon or doing a movie like Cyril did.

 

[BoomStronk]

I don't know if he was getting paid or not I'll admit and my point isn't to say what Tom did regarding the JJ was wrong. My point is that they both voluntarily took time off to do something else, it was just for different reasons and Tom trying to say Gane's reason somehow makes him mentally different from him is silly. I know this all just harmless pre fight build up but it's just a really weird angle to try and come at Gane from considering they both have been just as inactive as one another lately..

I mean, there's a pretty clear difference between a) filming a movie and b) staying ready, presumably training with all that unused movie-time.

This is a difference that definitely relates to a different mindset, in terms of values. Tom's point here is pretty rocksolid.

The only thing i think one could take issue with here is that its very easy to say you wouldn't shoot a movie for a hundred million but until such time as that actual offer has been made and you've rejected it, its just talk.

But, if we take Tom at his word here, then yeah, pretty huge difference.

 

[BoomStronk]

Here's the problem with that line of thinking:
Aspinall was being told by his multi billion dollar employer the entire time to sit tight and the Jones fight would get made. UFC contracts are written that fighters either must be offered x number of fights per year, OR be compensated as though they were given those fights. So logic tells us that yes, Aspinall was in fact compensated to wait. We aren't gonna get some sort of press release disclosing that compensation, but we DAMN sure would know if he was offered an alternative opponent and turned it down.

Essentially, you're asking a guy who just wants the undisputed belt to what? Draw a line in the sand to the UFC about getting him in the cage to defend an interim belt for the 2nd time?? C'mon man lmao.

Also, tom was, presumably, training regularly during this period of time, in a way that wouldn't be possible if he were filming a movie.

 

[Lee Danger]

Tom seems like a decent guy, but if i was him i'd talk a little less and thinking before saying the first thing that is flying in my mind.
his talk to fight ratio is on par with Chimaev's.

 

[mkess101]

I'm talking between waiting to fight Jon or doing a movie like Cyril did.

Ahh okay. Gotcha.

 

[mkess101]

Tom seems like a decent guy, but if i was him i'd talk a little less and thinking before saying the first thing that is flying in my mind.
his talk to fight ratio is on par with Chimaev's.

Situation a bit different given he wanted to fight and was told (and paid) to sit tight and wait for Jones.