With Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall reigning supreme atop the UFC’s heavyweight division, most contenders are left waiting in the shadows. Jones, in particular, has drawn criticism for sitting on the title without an active defense since his first against Stipe Miocic last November, stalling the division’s momentum. But amidst the chaos, a new force is emerging, not in the UFC, but in BKFC. And fans are already sounding the alarm, warning the top heavyweights that there’s a storm coming their way.

MMA channel Upfront MMA took to their X handle to upload a video of a certain heavyweight throwing kicks and punches seamlessly, which appeared to be both powerful and sleek. At first glance, it seemed that the fighter was none other than the world’s strongest man, Eddie Hall. However, a closer look reveals that the fighter is actually Australia’s very own Alex Simon.

Standing 6 feet and 3 inches tall, Simon is a former Australia’s strongest powerlifter and among the top 10 in the world. Started his career as a powerlifter, Simon shifted to MMA after careful consideration. With a career record of 1 victory and 2 losses, Simon has a dream to conquer the UFC heavyweight division one day.

The video uploaded by Upfront MMA shows Simon throwing combinations with incredible power. One instance even featured him throwing a spinning back kick to the head—something considered highly technical and difficult to pull off, given someone his size. The caption to the video read, “R.I.P [Tom Aspinall] 🪦 R.I.P. [Jon Jones].”

For now, Alex Simon is expected to face former UFC heavyweight Ben Rothwell at BKFC 79: Rothwell vs. Simon. ‘Godly Strong’ will be making his debut under the Conor McGregor-co-owned BKFC banner as the heavyweight looks to cement his position as one of the top contenders in the world. Well, as his training video spreads like a wildfire, the MMA community couldn’t keep calm.

Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall alerted as Alex Simon makes his way to the heavyweight fights

Simon might be a good striker, but to become a champion in the UFC, a fighter needs tremendous cardio and exceptional wrestling skills. The heavyweight division is filled with powerful fighters, but it often lacks well-rounded wrestlers. However, Tom Aspinall stands out, as he possesses all the necessary grappling tools, even though most of his fights end in a knockout. At this, a fan wrote, “Tom would run circles around him.”

One of the social media users was flabbergasted by the sheer size as well as the speed of Simon as he wrote, “Now, who thought it was a good idea to teach that big mf how to throw like that s— should be illegal.”  Remember, Bruce Lee once said, “Bags don’t punch back.” That quote remains relevant even today, years after his passing. One might perform exceptionally well on the heavy bag, yet still fall short when it truly matters. Highlighting this, a fan added, “It’s pretty easy to throw fast when you get the combo beforehand. It’s different in sparring and fighting.”

Furthermore, another social media user highlighted the limited gas tank Simon has, “He’ll gas out after Rd. 1 if he doesn’t get subbed before that lol.” All of Simon’s fights have ended in a finish—whether he was finished or it was he who finished his opponents. And truth be told, none of his bouts have featured a proper takedown. One fan suggested, “1 Takedown and it’s over.” Last but not the least, a social media user asserted that the fighter would have to get past former UFC fighter before his induction to the promotion, “He has to get through Ben Rothwell first.”

With a dream of becoming the UFC’s heavyweight champion, Alex Simon is setting off on a journey in BKFC, hoping to catch Dana White’s attention. But will his endeavor work in his favor, or will it end up as just another failure? Furthermore, will Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall notice him? Only time will tell.