Kamaru Usman names Tom Aspinall as best UFC heavyweight and Jon Jones as greatest MMA fighter: "He's the GOAT"
Kamaru Usman heaped praise on Tom Aspinall by naming him as the best heavyweight in the UFC. Despite the Englishman being the interim heavyweight champion, 'The Nigerian Nightmare' believes that he deserves that recognition, however, he noted that Jon Jones' status in the sport hasn't changed.
The interim heavyweight champion capped off another incredible performance at UFC 304 this past Saturday as he earned a first-round knockout over Curtis Blaydes to retain his title. After the bout, Aspinall directed a message to 'Bones' by stating that he believes he is a better fighter than him.
During an episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast, the former welterweight champion weighed in on the ongoing debate between the heavyweight champions. Usman mentioned that Aspinall has set himself apart from Jones at heavyweight, but 'Bones' still has the better resume in MMA. He said:
"I think right now, Tom Aspinall is the best heavyweight in the UFC. Best heavyweight...In the UFC, active right now, I think Tom Aspinall is the best...Jon Jones is the greatest martial artist we have ever seen. I tell you that, he's the GOAT." [29:01 - 29:42]
Check out the full episode of Kamaru Usman's Pound 4 Pound podcast below:
Henry Cejudo heaps praise on Tom Aspinall's performance against Curtis Blaydes
In addition to Kamaru Usman, co-host Henry Cejudo also heaped praise on Tom Aspinall's impressive performance against Curtis Blaydes.
During the aforementioned episode, Cejudo mentioned that Aspinall has done an excellent job showcasing his strengths but reserved his opinion on being the best heavyweight in the promotion until he can showcase other areas of his game. He said:
"The fact that [Aspinall's] agile and he's a counter puncher, like he really did counter that jab very well with that overhand, bro, like his IQ on his feet is good...But we also have to see him in those other areas, man...If he doesn't fight [Jon] Jones, I'd like to see him fight Ciryl Gane." [31:58 - 32:38]
Check out Aspinall's UFC 304 post-fight interview below: