Tom Aspinall has finally claimed the UFC’s heavyweight throne following Jon Jones’ brief retirement announcement. The British juggernaut didn’t hold back in making his intentions clear—he’s aiming for at least four fights this year against top contenders. Aspinall has already issued a challenge to the entire division, stating at the Good Guy/Bad Guy show, “I want to be the guy at heavyweight who takes out everybody, and it doesn’t matter who it is.” And he didn’t stop there. 

The British heavyweight champ even called out Ciryl Gane, Brock Lesnar, and Derrick Lewis. On the One and One with Adam Catterall podcast, he declared, “My goal is to beat 10,” before teasing his next opponent as the most dangerous heavyweight he’s ever faced. While the Gane matchup has everyone buzzing, thanks to their bad blood, there may be another blockbuster showdown on the horizon that might be waiting for him. 

Derrick Lewis is set to take on surging contender Tallison Teixeira at UFC Nashville. But before stepping into the Octagon this weekend, ‘The Black Beast’ didn’t miss a chance to take a jab at the newly crowned heavyweight kingpin. In a chat with MMA Junkie, Lewis said, “I’ll stand right there with him. That’d be good to fight him. Before everything is said and done with.” Lewis knows that a clash with Aspinall would be another high-stakes, “who lands first” type of war. But he’s gunning for that title shot before calling it a career

Lewis added, “I have a couple of fights on my contract. I would love to finish out my contract. That’d be great if I can. Let him know, ‘Hey, you can fight Derrick for the belt.” That’s the relentless spirit fans have come to expect from the UFC’s most decorated knockout artist. The last time Lewis fought for the title was back at UFC 230 against Daniel Cormier in 2018, and since then, it’s been nothing but a long grind. A few more battles leading up to one final title shot would be a fitting farewell for one of the most exciting heavyweights to ever step inside the Octagon.

However, it’s not like ‘The Black Beast’ has been throwing verbal jabs at Tom Aspinall without a plan in mind. In fact, Lewis seems to have already mapped out a rough strategy for how he’d approach a clash with the British juggernaut. If they ever get the chance to square off inside the Octagon. So, what exactly does Lewis have in mind? Let’s dive into it.

Derrick Lewis reveals the only path to defeating Tom Aspinall

It might not be a stretch to say that Tom Aspinall is arguably the most powerful, agile, and well-rounded heavyweight we’ve seen in a long time. Yes, alongside Jon Jones. The British juggernaut has made it nearly impossible for other heavyweights to survive more than two minutes with him inside the Octagon. It’s either him going down or his opponent, and more often than not, it’s the latter. So, what’s the strategy to beat a guy like that? According to Derrick Lewis, there’s only one way.

‘The Black Beast’ knows exactly where his superpower lies—knocking people’s heads clean off. So when it comes to facing someone like Tom Aspinall, Lewis isn’t interested in playing the grappling game or fishing for submissions. That, he believes, would be a waste of time. In his interview with MMA Junkie, Lewis added, “What do you think I’m gonna do? Tap him out with a submission or something? I’m just looking to knock guys out. I’m not looking to do nothing else. Every punch I’m throwing, I’m trying to knock the head off. I’m not trying to waste anything.”

If Lewis somehow becomes the next contender for Aspinall’s belt, it makes perfect sense for him to push for the knockout. Since it’s his best weapon, he should look forward to using it early. When he’s fresh and still moving well, instead of gassing himself out trying to wrestle with a polar bear like the current heavyweight champ. But, it seems like the UFC would want to see him get another win before he gets a shot at the Brit’s title.

With that being said, what would be the path for Derrick Lewis to challenge Tom Aspinall? And do you think there’s a real possibility? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!