UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is fighting Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event of UFC 304 on July 27. The fight is a rematch of their 2022 match-up at UFC London.
In the first fight, Aspinall was not the interim champion and it was just a high-level heavyweight scrap. But the fight lasted just 15 seconds before it was called off. Aspinall threw a kick to Blaydes's body, stepping backward and injuring his knee. Due to Aspinall's inability to continue, the fight was ruled in favor of Blaydes via TKO. Aspinall later revealed the severity of the injury saying, “I have suffered a torn MCL, a torn meniscus, and some ACL damage," ahead of his reconstructive surgery.
The pair even shared a beer in the hotel after the fight, showing incredible sportsmanship. That's all been put away ahead of their rematch on Saturday, and Aspinall is taking this fight seriously.
"I'm not going to pretend there's beef there when there's not," he said. "Curtis is a good guy, he's someone I've gone out with for beers," he said ahead of the rematch. "He's someone I could spend a lot of time with, he's a good person...and we've got mutual friends. But this is business, and I'm coming to hurt Curtis...this is serious. I'm going to punch him as hard as I can in the face as many times as possible until the ref pulls me off him...that's the plan."
Aspinall's heavyweight interim title will be on the line this time.
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