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‘Not Dana White but Someone Really High Up’- Tom Aspinall Reveals Getting Phone Call From a High-Ranked UFC Administrator for the First Time, Detailing the UFC 295 Scenes Post Jon Jones’ Pull Out

Published 11/08/2023, 12:33 PM EST

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Tom Aspinall is living his dream. The British fighter has been a dominant force in the UFC’s heavyweight division and he has his eyes set on the coveted heavyweight belt. It seems like his manifestation worked since he will headline UFC 295 against Sergei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight title.

Originally the reigning heavyweight champion, Jon Jones was slated to defend his title against the heavyweight goat Stipe Miocic. However, an unforeseen injury while having a training session forced him out of the event opening the window for  Aspinall and Pavlovich.

Tom Aspinall stated that Dana White was not the one who called him for the match

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UFC 295 is just mere days away and both the fighters are preparing to take on each other. In the middle of their preparation, Aspinall recently gave an interview with ‘TNT Sports’. Aspinall during that interview made a revelation that it was not Dana White who informed him about his match rather it was someone else.

you know what? I got the call early in the morning, so I was sleeping. It was from someone really high up in the UFC, not Dana White, but someone really high up who’s never called me before” Said Tom Aspinall. “So I rang him back, and he said, ‘Listen, I’m not going to tell you what’s happened because it’s not for sure yet. I’m going to let you know in the next 24 hours.’ ” 

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Aspinall emphasized that he was planning to go on a vacation just before he got a call from the UFC. He added ” And I was supposed to be going on holiday the next day, so I said, ‘Listen, you’re going to have to let me know because I’m going on holiday. I’m going away tomorrow.’ Anyway, he rang me back at 4:00 a.m. the following night, and he told me what’s going on.”

Aspinall never stated the name of the person who gave a call to him. Nonetheless, he is facing Pavlovich within a few days, and if Aspinall defeats Pavlovich then he will be the first man from Britain to claim a title in the UFC.

Is Aspinall enough to defeat Sergei Pavlovich?

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Tom Aspinall’s martial arts background is quite impressive. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has honed his striking skills through training in Muay Thai and boxing. Notably, he even took part in a professional boxing match in 2017.

Aspinall in his UFC career has relied upon his striking abilities. 67 % of his 13 wins have come by way of knockout or technical knockout. This preference for striking is evident in his fight statistics, where he has attempted only four takedowns in his seven UFC bouts.

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His massive 6’6 stature has not hampered his agility, speed, and technical skills. Aspinall holds a perfect 100% takedown success and takedown defense rates highlight his grappling prowess. Aspinall’s all-around skills may be a threat to Sergei Pavlovich. What are your expectations from Tom Aspinall? Tell us in the comments below.

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Written by:

Suryakant Das

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I'm Suryakant Das, an avid sports enthusiast from a family that cherishes the world of sports. I still vividly recall the day my father took me to watch Indian wrestling, sparking my fascination with the discipline and the aura of those warriors. Over time, my love for combat sports grew, and now, I'm a UFC writer at EssentiallySports.
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Edited by:

Anuj Jacob