I think Aspinall is the heavyweight of the week, at the top of a shit division. I don’t think anyone will remember him in 10 years, maybe 5.
I may be wrong, but Aspinall is simply on top right now. I see nothing special about the guy.
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Yall are impossible to please. Always complaining about heavyweight and how shit it is, how everyone is fat, and the golden era of HW was way better, etc… a guy comes along that is a true martial artist and fighter with a complete skill set and it still isn’t enough.
And because he did a comedic video with a female reporter/MMA media person? And asking for a fight with the GOAT? You’re right, he should be asking for a fight with Curtis Blaydes or Tai Tuivasa instead.
When Cain came along destroying everyone, the entire forum was on his nuts, including myself. Now 10 or whatever years later we have a guy who is clearly special, running through everyone including the guy fans thought nobody would beat (just because he has power), and people complain and say he’s not special.
I’m convinced even if he didn’t do that video (who cares?) you guys would find a reason, cause y’all always do. Bunch of grumpy old men. So gay.
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If you watch his fights you can see there is a clear difference in his technical skill bs everyone else’s. He is on another level completely.
To me, he is known for dominating and finishing guys spectacularly, and generally being humble in his pre and post fight stuff that I’ve seen.
I’m not looking to be best friends with the guy. Even if he was an asshole outside of the cage, it wouldn’t affect me much.
Y’all watch fights so you know how the game goes. He wants to fight the best.
I didn’t say that, I said he’s known for 2 things and neither is likable or humble.
Or he could just have the awareness to understand the situation. He looks like a dumb child who thinks if cries loud enough at the grocery store they’ll get lucky charms instead of cheerios. Jon doesn’t owe him a fight and the way he’s handling the situation makes him look like dimestore Connor.
To me he’s just another guy on a good run who wants to be an influencer. Cain was something special. Tom is not
This part is true. Guilty as charged.
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Shouldn’t he continue asking for the Jones fight for as long as possible?
I’m sure if he stopped asking for it y’all would also complain “of course he wants to fight fat heavyweights instead of the GOAT”. Have no idea what you mean by he wants to be an influencer, watching his fights, he looks like a fighter to me.
I also think you’re underrating or not paying attention to his run. No heavyweight since Cain or DC has run through guys the way he has. He’s not getting lucky with one shot, or lay n’ praying, he is thoroughly dominating everyone then finishing them. Name one other heavyweight in the last 10-15 years aside from Cain or DC who has done that.
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Egg will rematch Pereira and Ankalaev, he still wants Poatan to win and move to HW.
Jon will string things along forever till he gets this matchup
Whether you think Aspinall isn’t a name, the fight isn’t a draw, or the whole division is weak isn’t the point. The point is the division is being held up to the point of being farcical - Jon should fight or be stripped.
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Yup. He has to fight somebody.
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Could say the same about Gane and Francis at one point.
This division sucks, which is why Jon is above it. At least Cain was building a name off of the greats of the previous generation. Tom doesn’t even have that.
I am a fan of stripping Jon for inactivity. Tom already has a belt though and it won’t magically feel more legitimate if Jon gets stripped.
I’m betting he won’t fight Tom - he sees no upside; if he wins its expected, if he loses its legacy etc. I WOULD bet on another mysterious / bad timing injury if he did accept, still hoping for Poatan at end of year
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I disagree. Francis clearly had very little skill and just had ungodly power, he was even losing fights and came back to win with just that one thing.
Gane was winning a lot of fights and he KO’d some people too, but he didn’t run through guys the way Tom is. Tom is dominating guys on the ground and on the feet, then KO’ing or submitting them.
And no Cain didn’t do a lot of that. He beat a 2010 shadow of Big Nog for his title shot against Brock. Aside from that the names he beat were Ben Rothwell and Cheick Kongo. That’s not to discredit Cain cause he’s my second favorite HW of all time behind Fedor, and in his prime I’d pick him to beat Tom, but Cain didn’t have a long run to the top littered with huge names or former champions.
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I agree the belt won’t magically feel more legitimate by stripping Jones. It felt legitimate before Jones ever fought Stipe, and is more legitimate than Jon’s belt. Jon should have been stripped before the Stipe fight. Tom is the champion, he has beaten all of the guys at heavyweight that were supposed to beat him or eventually challenge for a belt. With the exception of Curtis Blaydes, who has already failed to get his title shot multiple times.
I agree. If Jon agrees to the fight I think he pulls out. I don’t think Jon and Tom fight.
I kind of agree. Jon’s HW belt is a sham and exhuming Stipe to fight for it was dumb.
But Tom hasn’t beaten Gane. And he has exactly as many wins over former champions as Cain did, except Cain had also beaten Rothwell. Volkov and Pavlovich are good wins. Tom is number one.
The division is so weak and he’s such an unlikable guy, I think that’s why no one cares.
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He absolutely does if Jon doesn’t put down that belt and get out of his way or fight the top contender.
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It’s the promotions job to strip him if he won’t fight contenders
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Agreed, it’s the promotion’s duty to strip him for ducking but they aren’t and he is. As long as he is, everyone has a right to call his spoiled ass out for it.
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Gane is the only guy Tom hasn’t beat, and I’m willing to bet it’s because Gane has been avoiding matchups for a while now, look at his inactivity. I’ve read in multiple places from multiple other fighters that Gane ducked them, and I like Gane, but it’s starting to sound like he would likely never fight Tom. On top of that I feel Tom beats him.
Volkov was supposed to be a better striker than Tom and Tom dominated him there. When he was done, he took him down and submitted him. Very very few have made Volkov look that bad. Pavlovich was being touted as the next champion, undefeated in the UFC and knocking out everyone. The majority of this board felt that way, from what I saw and remember. Tom came and knocked him out in the first round.
Tom is an active fighter and I’m willing to bet he fights anyone and everyone he is offered. He has even said if he doesn’t get Jon he will just fight the next guy the UFC gives him. He’s a fighter.
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And again, the division has been weak for a very long time, but if you watch Tom fight, it’s clear he’s special, and not some generic heavyweight with knockout power. He can knock a guy out or systematically destroy them, then finish them.
He has made everyone look like they didn’t belong in the UFC.
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The idea of using the word “duck” to describe the goat not wanting to fight a young kid who happens to be on a winning streak.
Jon’s legacy is worth 10x the UFC heavyweight belt Gane and Francis had that disgrace of a fight for. Tom has earned a shot at the UFC title, but not a shot a Jon.
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He’s got 8 wins in the UFCs weakest division. I’m going to need to see a lot more than that to say he’s special. He could be a Houston Alexander at this point for all we know