Tom Aspinall is advised not to renew his contract with the UFC

Tom Aspinall holds the UFC heavyweight title and is considered one of the standout talents in the largest MMA organization on the planet.

After completing the weigh-in ahead of UFC 321 in Abu Dhabi, Tom Aspinall is officially ready for his first career heavyweight title defense. The English fighter is regarded by experts as one of the most exceptional talents to ever compete in the UFC heavyweight division, despite having only fought nine times inside the octagon.

Many specialists believe Aspinall’s superior power and speed will be the decisive factors against Ciryl Gane in the bout scheduled for the early hours of October 26, Vietnam time. Although originally a wrestling expert, he has proven his striking ability with a series of convincing wins over tough opponents.

Former champion Daniel Cormier, who was backstage, commented that Aspinall has a chance to deliver a legendary performance thanks to the fierce competition in the current heavyweight division. However, behind the champion’s spotlight lie concerns from his father and coach, Andy Aspinall.

In an interview published by RMC Sport Combat Andy revealed that his son only has three fights left on his current contract and does not want him to renew with the UFC: "Boxing, definitely. More money, why not? I don’t want him to sign a new deal."

In fact, Tom Aspinall once considered quitting MMA to pursue professional boxing. He trained alongside Tyson Fury and many top British boxers, but his MMA career only took off after signing with Cage Warriors in 2019. Two quick knockout victories in that promotion paved the way for his UFC debut in 2020.

Since then, Aspinall has consistently proven himself by defeating numerous top fighters, eventually claiming the heavyweight championship. Although he currently has no plans to leave the UFC, the prospect of switching to boxing — which his father believes would be more lucrative — remains a very real possibility in the near future.

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