Tom Aspinall is a man who knows fighting. A heavyweight star in the UFC, he has seen the sport from every angle – the highs of victory, the grind of training, and the harsh realities that come with stepping into the Octagon.
Now, with a new boxing league governed by Dana White, TKO and the Saudis on the horizon – one that looks set to mirror the structure of the UFC – Aspinall has some strong views on what it could mean for fighters.
So, where to start? How about one of the most controversial aspects of combat sports: weight cutting, an extreme practice that fighters undergo to compete in a specific division.
Aspinall, a natural heavyweight who has never had to endure the brutal process himself, has witnessed first-hand the toll it takes on fighters.
Like many boxing fans, Aspinall believes that if the new league follows the UFC’s model – with fewer weight classes and larger gaps between them – boxers could be forced into even more extreme weight cuts.
‘I personally don’t like extreme weight cutting, I think it’s dangerous,’ he tells Mail Sport. ‘If you dehydrate your body, dehydrate your brain, and then the next day you get in the Octagon and get punched repeatedly by someone who can really punch, I just think it’s unsafe. It shouldn’t be allowed.
‘I’ve seen some guys in some absolute states cutting weight. It’s horrible to watch. I’m just sat there like, “I can’t believe you’re actually going to go and fight somebody tomorrow”. That is crazy. That shouldn’t be allowed.
Tom Aspinall is a man who knows fighting. A heavyweight star in the UFC, he has seen the sport from every angle – now he is sharing his opinion
Aspinall has some strong opinions on what the new boxing league – led by Dana White (right), TKO and the Saudis- could mean for fighters
‘That being said, everyone’s going to always try and look for an advantage, aren’t they? And if they feel like their advantage is cutting weight and being the bigger guy, then I do understand why they might argue the benefits for them. But I don’t like it.’
At this point in the conversation, Aspinall admits to being ‘hangry’ himself. Work commitments have meant he’s struggled to eat as much as he normally would – somewhere in the region of 3,000 calories per day. ‘I need my food, mate,’ he laughs, glancing at his phone to check the status of his second Nando’s order of the day.
As he waits for his food, the conversation shifts to another key issue in combat sports: the structure. While the UFC boasts a clear, undisputed king in each weight division, boxing is fractured across multiple organisations, with multiple champions per weight class.
White wants the new boxing league to adopt a UFC-style model, where fighters must prove themselves against top contenders to hold unified championship belts. That would address the current complexities arising from the various sanctioning bodies that govern the sport.
In the UFC, fighters are ranked in their respective weight classes and championship titles are determined by a clear and straightforward progression based on performance and rankings.
Fighters work their way up the rankings and title fights are made between the highest-ranked athletes in each division.
But Aspinall isn’t convinced boxing can follow the same blueprint.
White envisions adopting a UFC model where fighters must prove themselves against the best to hold the belts, addressing the complexities arising from multiple sanctioning bodies
Even in the UFC, the structure is starting to show cracks. Aspinall himself is the interim heavyweight champion and has been waiting for a long time to fight Jon Jones (above)
‘Everyone in UFC knows who the champion is but that is going to be impossible for boxing because at the moment they have four or five champions per weight class at the moment.
‘If they strip it back to one champion, what are they going to do with the other three or four champions? And what are they going to do with the belts that already exist? It just won’t work.’
Even in the UFC, the structure is starting to show cracks. Aspinall himself is the interim heavyweight champion and has been waiting for what feels like an eternity to fight Jon Jones. The bout has been delayed, with many believing Jones is holding out for a larger financial package before agreeing to the fight.
Aspinall revealed he was set to meet UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell to discuss the proposed fight in the evening of our interview. Since then, sources have indicated that a date for the bout has been agreed, but there has been no official confirmation from the UFC.
That’s hardly going to worry a man like Aspinall, though, who remains supremely confident. ‘I’m statistically the most dangerous person in the UFC,’ he says. ‘If you look at finish rate and finish time and all that kind of stuff, that is me. So I think, you know, he’s a human being. If I punch him, he will fall over. So that works to my advantage for sure.’
The biggest difference between the sports are the financial incentives, which are vastly greater in boxing than MMA. If a boxer is making millions defending a belt under the current system, why would they give that up for a more rigid, UFC-style league with only one champion per division?
‘If you try and set up a separate league you aren’t going to get the best fighters. If one guy is getting £5million for defending his belt in the system they have now or give up his belt, get less money to go and fight high-level opponents for just one belt he’s obviously going to say I will take the £5m I would imagine.’
And speaking of money, no topic in combat sports is more hotly debated than fighter pay. Boxing’s elite make staggering amounts, while UFC fighters, even champions, often earn significantly less. Now, with UFC president Dana White venturing into boxing, could this new league change the financial landscape of combat sports?
Despite the uncertainty, Aspinall remains confident of his chances. ‘I’m statistically the most dangerous person in the UFC’, he told Mail Sport
Aspinall sees two possible outcomes. ‘Now that Dana White is involved in boxing, either UFC fighters are going to be paid more or boxers are going to be paid less,’ he says.
‘Personally, I don’t think boxers will get paid less because they won’t do it if that’s the case. They’d just keep hold of the belt from whichever organisation they’re with and keep getting paid more. So, I would imagine UFC fighters would get paid more.
‘I bloody hope they get paid more. I’d like to get paid more. That would be fantastic. To get paid £30m for a fight like these boxers are getting, that would be great. What was Usyk getting (to fight Tyson Fury), £120m or something like that? They are crazy numbers, I would love a bit of that. But yeah, if boxers under Dana suddenly get a lot more money, there will be questions in the UFC.’
But money isn’t the only factor shaping the future of combat sports. The power structure within these organisations is also a key point of debate. White wields immense control over the UFC, and it looks like he will have a similar grip on the new boxing league.
Asked whether it was good for one man to hold so much power, Aspinall says: ‘I think rivalry is healthy. Competition is healthy when it comes to combat sports organisations. It would be nice to have someone to keep the UFC on their toes. It would change the dynamic of how things operate and that could be beneficial.
‘But, then there are good things about the way the UFC operates as whole. What I love about the UFC is everyone knows who the best in the world is. If you’re the UFC champion, you are the man. If you’re a champion in another organisation, it like “Yeah, OK but you wouldn’t beat the guys in the UFC” and I personally really like that. So I think it’s got pros and cons.’
Just as Aspinall finishes making this point, his long-awaited food arrives. With a grin, he tucks into his garlic bread, looking as happy as can be. ‘This is what I needed,’ he says, savouring every mouthful.
But before leaving him in peace to eat, Aspinall had some words of wisdom to any young fighter considering stepping into this new boxing system to share. About the realities of life as a professional fighter. About how brutal the sport can be, physically and mentally.
‘There is so much to navigate as a professional athlete in an organisation like the UFC,’ he says. ‘If I was to give someone advice who was joining the UFC or joining the new boxing league it would be enjoy yourself.
‘When it comes to combat sports, you’re getting punched and kicked every day. It’s exhausting. You better enjoy yourself. You don’t want to be doing it if you’re not enjoying yourself. If you’re having a rough time.
‘So first and foremost, if you’re going to do it as a career, make sure you enjoy it. Because (it’s a) long road, it’s rough, it hurts, it’s exhausting. There’s going to be a lot of ups and downs, so at least make sure you enjoy it more than anything. Then just make sure you are looking after yourself and having your own best interests at heart.’
