Tom Aspinall dubbed "heavyweight Georges St-Pierre" by UFC legend while making definitive prediction for potential Jon Jones fight
UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping recently praised Tom Aspinall, labeling him the heavyweight division's Georges St-Pierre before offering his prediction for the potential Jon Jones clash.
Whilst nothing has been confirmed, recent comments by Dana White and Tom Aspinall during interviews have hinted that fight news is close. It's believed everything is agreed between Jones and Aspinall, and it's now just a case of signing on the dotted line.
The Brit has been chasing the unification bout against Jones since he picked up the interim heavyweight title back in November 2023. Aspinall stepped up on short notice to knock out Sergei Pavlovich for the title when 'Bones' was sidelined through injury.
With the two heavyweight stars seemingly set to collide, Michael Bisping shared his thoughts on Tom Aspinall's chances against Jon Jones during a recent appearance on the Froch on Fighting podcast.
According to Bisping, whilst there's no debating Jones' legacy, he believes every fighter eventually meets their match.'The Count' then highlighted Aspinall's ability, comparing him to his own former rival Georges St-Pierre. Bisping said:
"Listen, Jon Jones is great and you can't deny what he's done in the octagon...However, everyone meets their match eventually. I think Tom Aspinall is the new generation, the new breed and he'll go down probably as the greatest mixed martial artist we've ever had."
Bisping continued:
"Tom's the whole package, there's a fighter called Georges St-Pierre, he's one of the greatest to ever do it. Tom's like a heavyweight St-Pierre. He's got no weak areas, absolute knockout power, super disciplined. Super agile on the feet, finishes everyone really quickly...I would be very surprised if [Jones vs. Aspinall] got out of the first round."
Catch Bisping's comments below (15:10):
Chael Sonnen believes Tom Aspinall could replace Conor McGregor as the UFC's biggest star
Chael Sonnen believes there is space at the top of the UFC for a new star amid Conor McGregor's continued absence from the octagon.
The Irishman is widely considered the biggest MMA star in the world, having catapulted the sport to mainstream success during his run between 2013-2016. McGregor's star power is evidenced by the records, as he features in all five of the highest-grossing pay-per-view events in the promotion's history.
However, 'The Notorious' hasn't fought since 2021. In his absence, Chael Sonnen recently weighed in on the stars pushing to fill the spot left by McGregor. He said:
"In the absence of Conor McGregor it's a seat that needs to be taken...Right now the battle is between Tom [Aspinall] and Ilia [Topuria]. It's a hard seat to get...It's a risky game man because it's the way that legends are made...If you call it and you get it you're a star, if you don't you open yourself and become susceptible."
Catch Sonnen's comments below (2:05):