Tom Aspinall etched his name into UFC history—but not in the way he would have hoped. The interim heavyweight champion now holds the unenviable record for the longest reign as an interim titleholder, a milestone he’s not very proud of. Just this month, the Brit surpassed the record once held by former UFC bantamweight champion Renan Barao, who held his interim belt for 534 days. But rather than celebrate, Aspinall was blunt about how he felt, labeling the achievement as “bulls–t.”

It’s clear he has no interest in remaining interim champion—he firmly aims to become the undisputed king. Unfortunately for him, reigning heavyweight champion Jon Jones has been anything but cooperative. Since making the move to the heavyweight division in 2023, he has entered the Octagon only twice, with his latest outing taking place last November at UFC 309. Since then, as anticipation has grown with each passing month, frustration has been mounting among fans.

Yet, instead of locking in a fight with Tom Aspinall, Jones is turning his attention to a different project: a coaching role opposite Nate Diaz in the Russian edition of TUF, titled ‘ALF.’ To make matters worse, Jon Jones has reportedly asked for an additional six months to prepare for a potential clash with the Englishman, likely pushing their long-awaited showdown into the fall. Understandably, Aspinall is frustrated. During a recent appearance on the High Performance Podcast, he voiced his disappointment in a calm yet direct manner.

When the host asked, “What do you think you can do to make that fight happen?” Tom Aspinall made it clear that the situation is out of his hands. Aspinall told, “Me personally, I can’t do anything. I think it’s just down to money on his [Jones] side. I will fight whenever, wherever he wants… I think that at this stage in his career, he’s had an amazing career… he’s like 37, 38 years old, so he’s got a lot of damage on the body. He took a lot of shots to the head. I’m literally the most dangerous guy in the UFC if you look at the stats.”

Still, the Brit showed a level of maturity and respect for Jon Jones, acknowledging the champion’s legendary career. Even though he believes ‘Bones’ is avoiding the fight, he didn’t take personal shots. Instead, he praised the New Mexico resident’s business instincts. “He’s a smart guy,” Tom Aspinall said, noting that Jones is simply holding out for “f–k you money” before agreeing to the bout.

For now, though, with no contract signed and no clarity on the horizon, Tom Aspinall is done waiting. His patience has run out, and he made his position crystal clear: “I’m bored of this topic. I’ve had enough. We either need to fight, or I need to move on and do something else.” Now that the Interim champ has publicly aired his frustration, it puts added pressure on Dana White, who had confidently assured fans the Tom Aspinall vs. Jon Jones fight was “100%” happening. But if ‘Bones’ doesn’t step up—who’s next for the Brit? Let’s take a look.

Who’s possibly the next opponent for Tom Aspinall if not Jon Jones?

While Jon Jones occupies his time shooting ALF in Thailand, nearly a year has passed since Tom Aspinall successfully defended his interim heavyweight title against Curtis Blaydes at UFC Manchester last July. As the wait continues, frustration is growing. Aspinall’s father and coach, Andy Aspinall, recently shared his thoughts in an interview with Jamal Niaz of JNMEDIAUK, emphasizing that Tom’s desire to remain active in the sport is stronger than ever: “[Tom] just wants to compete… We want more and more contests. That’s what he does to earn a living.”

Amid rumors and mounting speculation, the big question remains: Who’s next for Tom Aspinall? MMA veteran Din Thomas believes that the Brit’s second interim title defense may be closer than anticipated. In a conversation with Mike Bohn, Thomas weighed in, saying, “If I had to put my money on it, I think they convinced Tom Aspinall to fight Ciryl Gane. Tom wants to fight. He’ll be like, ‘Alright, I’ll fight.’ I think they’ll throw a number at Ciryl Gane. It won’t be ideal for him, but they’ll throw a number that he can’t refuse, and he’ll have to take it. I think it makes more sense that way.”

With half of 2025 nearly behind us, if Tom Aspinall takes on Gane next, it could complicate a potential showdown with Jon Jones, potentially pushing the fight to 2026. What’s your take on Din Thomas’ perspective? Share your thoughts below.